SOLICITOR-GENERAL

BAE Systems

Martin Horwood: To ask the Solicitor-General which Ministers he consulted in relation to the case of the investigation of BAe Systems by the Serious Fraud Office; and what discussions he had with other Ministers on the case prior to it being discontinued.

Mike O'Brien: I refer to my written answer of 19 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1429W.

Civil Proceedings

David Davies: To ask the Solicitor-General which Chambers were given work by the Director of Public Prosecutions in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) instructs banisters in about 90,000 crown court matters each year using around 300 sets of barristers' chambers.
	Records show that the number of barristers' chambers whose sendees were used by the CPS in each of the last three completed years is:
	
		
			   Chambers 
			 2003-04 326 
			 2004-05 326 
			 2005-06 290 
		
	
	The instruction of barristers in chambers is a function of the 42 CPS areas across England and Wales and three casework divisions. The Director of Public Prosecutions has not personally given work to any chambers over that time.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding has been allocated for the reconstruction and development of Afghanistan in each of the next three years; and through what channels this money will be distributed.

Hilary Benn: DFID has committed £330 million in total for reconstruction and development in Afghanistan for the three-year period 2006-07 to 2008-09. We expect to spend £107 million in 2007-08 and £115 million in 2008-09. We do not have an indicative figure for 2009-10 yet. Allocations in future years will depend on the outcome of this year's comprehensive spending review and DFID internal resource allocation decisions. We expect to maintain our support to Afghanistan in line with the UK's 10 year Development Partnership Agreement signed in January 2006. We committed to spending more than 50 per cent. of DFID's assistance to Afghanistan through the Government of Afghanistan's systems, which we believe to be the most effective way of delivering aid. We will in fact spend more than 70 per cent. through the budget this year, and hope to maintain this in future years in support of priorities set out in the Afghanistan National Development Strategy.

Afghanistan: Overseas Aid

Mark Simmonds: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the funding committed to Afghanistan for reconstruction and development has been given as budget support in each year since 2001.

Hilary Benn: DFID does not provide direct budget support to Afghanistan, but we do channel our support through Government systems using the Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund (ARTF). The ARTF is a multi-donor funding mechanism managed by the World Bank, which applies rigorous procedures to protect against fiduciary risks and strengthen public financial management. DFID has provided a significant proportion of our aid through the ARTF since it was set up: £15 million (20 per cent.) in 2002-03, £34 million (43 per cent.) in 2003-04, £47 million (5 per cent.) in 2004-05, £79 million (78 per cent.) in 2005-06, and £60 million (59 per cent.) in 2006-07. In total, 54 per cent. of our support since 2001 (£235 million of a total £438 million provided in aid) has been channelled through the ARTF to support the Government's plans for reconstruction and development.

Developing Countries: Health Professions

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether he has taken steps to agree a code of practice for the international recruitment of health care professionals within the EU to stop member states recruiting medical staff from developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Gareth Thomas: The European Commission has recommended an EU-wide code of conduct on health worker recruitment as one of a series of measures to address the health staffing crisis in many developing countries. Department of Health officials are taking this forward with other member states. The group is at the stage of negotiating principles, such as the right of individuals to move and will then draft text for a code.
	There are varying views on the impact of the UK code on international recruitment. DFID and the Department of Health are to carry out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the code to strengthen the evidence base. This will be complete by June 2007.

Middle East

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 417-18W, on the Middle East, what the criteria are for identifying those who have suffered a severe loss in income; and which international body is responsible for establishing eligibility.

Hilary Benn: The Temporary International Mechanism—TIM—pays allowances to Palestinian Authority (PA) civil employees, and those identified as hardship cases. The economic crisis has hit PA employees hardest, as the Government have not paid salaries since March 2006.
	Initially the TIM paid allowances only to health workers. In August 2006, the G8 summit at St. Petersburg requested that the TIM be expanded, so all civil PA workers who had earned less than $600 per month (2,500 New Israeli Shekels) were included. In December 2006 the Quartet (US, Russia, UN and EU) requested a further expansion to remove the income ceiling entirely, so the TIM has been extended to all civil employees of the PA (excluding security forces and the civil police). The last payment in February 2007 paid all 77,000 civil PA employees. Only PA employees which are both on the PA payroll before the Hamas Government came to power, and which remain on the payroll as of December 2006, are entitled to allowances.
	Under the previous Palestinian Authority Government, the Ministry of Social Affairs made payments to 36,079 families. These beneficiaries now receive payments through the TIM. A further 36,600 beneficiaries have been added from lists compiled by the World Food Programme. The TIM Management Unit is evaluating a further 4,000 individuals to assess their eligibility for TIM benefits.
	The scope of TIM payments is approved by the EU, following consultation between the European Commission's TIM Management Unit and the Office of President Abbas.

Middle East

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 417-18W, on the Middle East, how many direct recipients of aid from the Temporary International Mechanism there are among those who have suffered a severe loss in income.

Hilary Benn: The direct payment of allowances is one of three parts of the Temporary International Mechanism. Up to the end of February, a total of €131.6 million had been paid to 149,679 beneficiaries. The EC is investigating the eligibility of a further 4,000 beneficiaries. With an estimated household size of six, over 900,000 persons will have benefit directly from the TIM.

Middle East

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 417-18W, on the Middle East, if he will describe the rigorous auditing procedures used for the Temporary International Mechanism in delivering aid to the Palestinian people.

Hilary Benn: Audit procedures for the Temporary International Mechanism have been set up to ensure no funding can be captured by a listed terrorist or terrorist organisation. Funding is provided in coordination with the Office of the President and no financial support is provided to the Hamas led Palestinian Authority.
	TIM payments for non-salary expenses are made by the World Bank. The procurement of these goods and services is managed by the Office of the President. Each stage in the tendering and bid evaluation process is checked by the World Bank and payment is made from the Office of the President only after the World Bank has approved the expense.
	Payments for fuel are made directly by the EC to the Israeli fuel company Dor. EC appointed auditors monitor the delivery of fuel in Gaza, and check all documentation, they provide a report to the EC management unit for payment.
	Payments for allowances are managed by the EC through the TIM Management Unit. Lists of individual beneficiaries are compiled from cross checking payroll data from the previous Government, and lists of current employees. Individual recipients are verified by the HSBC using the World Check Database, which runs the names of individuals receiving payment through five different international anti terrorist list checks. Detailed tracking mechanisms have been set up by HSBC which allow each and every payment made to be tracked to the individual. Funding is only provided directly into individual bank accounts or in cash on production of identification cards by individuals. Where there are problems with transferring funds to bank accounts, the funds are returned to the EC. The EC places monitors in the bank branches which are responsible cash hand outs.

Overseas Aid: Health Services

David Hamilton: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps are taken to ensure that projects funded by his Department to fight specific diseases in developing countries do not have a negative effect on the overall health care of that country.

Gareth Thomas: DFID uses a range of approaches and aid instruments to fight specific diseases in developing countries according to the country situation. The preference is to provide budget support or pooled funds to support the implementation of countries' own health plans. Such approaches provide flexible and long term support to fund trained staff, essential medicines and the costs of delivering broad based health services. In more difficult settings where DFID supports large disease specific programmes it encourages the delivery of integrated packages of care, for example adding distribution of bednets, micronutrients, and other vital treatments to immunisation programmes. DFID also encourages others to buy into national plans and use national delivery systems to minimise the negative effect of projects that may divert funds, staff and effort to specific health issues at the expense of broad based services.

Palestinian Authority: Finance

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations he has made to the  (a) EU and  (b) Quartet on (i) the withholding by Israel of revenues due to the Palestinian authority (PA), (ii) international development assistance to the PA and (iii) the future of the temporary international mechanism.

Hilary Benn: The UK Government regularly discusses the issues of the withholding of clearance revenues, development assistance and the future of the TIM with the EU and other quartet partners.
	During my visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory in December I raised the issue of the withholding of clearance revenues directly with the Government of Israel. The Foreign Secretary most recently raised the issue with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni on 2 January. We welcome Prime Minister Olmert's announcement in December that Israel would release $100 million of Palestinian tax revenues. We continue to call on Israel to release the remaining amount.
	The UK Government remain extremely concerned about the humanitarian situation in the occupied Palestinian territory. We are committed to helping the Palestinian peopl through the temporary international mechanism (TIM) and other means. The TIM was most recently extended by the quartet in December for three months. Compared t 2005, EU aid to the Palestinians in 2006 increased by some 27 per cent. to €650 million.
	The UK stands ready to work with a Palestinian government based on the quartet principles: renunciation of violence; recognition of Israel; and acceptance of previous peace agreements.

Palestinians: Overseas Aid

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 1 February 2007,  Official Report, column 417-18W, on Middle East, what assessment he has made of the impact of bank handling charges on the overall level of aid disbursed through the Temporary International Mechanism to deliver aid to the Palestinian people.

Hilary Benn: All payments of allowances to Palestinian beneficiaries, made through the Temporary International Mechanism (TIM), are subject to five different counter-terrorism checks. These checks were a key requirement for the TIM to be approved by the Quartet (EU, US, Russia and the UN) and provide a safeguard that tax payers' money is not going to members of terrorist organisations.
	The total cost of bank charges is less than 3.5 per cent. of the overall total the TIM has paid out to Palestinians. Up to the end of February 2007, the total bank charge was €4.57 million, out of a total allowance payment of €131.6 million. While these bank charges are significant, they are an essential cost for providing aid in this way.
	We understand that the TIM is less optimal than budget support; however it is the best alternative in the current political context. We are unable to provide aid directly to the Palestinian Authority Government until they comply with the Quartet Principles to give up violence, recognise Israel and commit to previous agreements, including the road map for peace.

Somalia: Overseas Aid

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support his Department is providing to Somalia; and if he will make a statement.

Hilary Benn: DFID's assistance to Somalia has increased from less than £2 million in 2002-03 to almost £18.75 million in 2005-06. Our assistance is aimed at achieving a peaceful and economically viable Somalia, and is based on three objectives:
	(i) to help achieve a just and viable political settlement in Somalia;
	(ii) to work with others to establish the basis for effective development assistance,
	with an initial focus on improving governance and service delivery; and
	(iii) to ensure timely provision of humanitarian relief.
	A key part of DFID's support is channelled through the UNDP to provide direct support to the transitional federal institutions (TFIs). The UK, along with other donors (mainly the European Commission, Norway and Sweden), are providing both technical and financial assistance to help the TFIs to become established and build their capacity. Support to date has involved direct financial support to the costs of the TFIs through a UNDP project (e.g. refurbishment and equipping of TFI buildings, stipends for MPs, police and judiciary, and costs of TFI members' travel within Somalia). These donors are also providing capacity building support to the TFIs through an emergency technical assistance project, plus support for a constitution development project.
	DFID, alongside a broad group of other donors, is also providing support to the security and judiciary sector across Somalia through UNDP's rule of law and security programme. This support has helped establish three police training centres (one in Somaliland, one in Puntland and one in Baidoa), as well as helping to produce a Somali police Development Plan as a basis for re-establishing policing in south/central Somalia. Security sector review work is also being taken forward as a priority with Somaliland and Puntland. This programme has also financed the reconstruction of the prison in Hargeisa, so that it now meets international standards.
	The largest part of DFID's funding for Somalia to date has been in the form of humanitarian assistance, which has been provided in response to natural disasters which have afflicted Somalia in recent years. These funds have been channelled through UN agencies and NGOs. We continue to carefully monitor the humanitarian situation in Somalia and have been one of the leaders in the international response to these crises.
	In addition to our humanitarian response, we continue to support the education and health sectors via UN agencies and NGOs, and agreed last year a £6 million education partnership with UNICEF and UNESCO.
	Much of DFID's funds are directed to Somaliland and Puntland in the north, as they are currently more stable. Somaliland receives 30 to 40 per cent. of UK assistance to Somalia. This includes support to the 2005 Somaliland parliamentary elections and the upcoming presidential election.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Departments: Assets

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2007,  Official Report, column 2057W, on departmental fixed assets, what the methodology was for valuing the three properties in Windsor; and what the floor area of each used building is.

David Lammy: The methodology used by the Department for valuing the three properties in Windsor was that professional property consultants were instructed to carry out surveys before arriving at the appropriate market valuations.
	Floor areas for each building are as follows:
	
		
			  Sq ft 
			   Including tenants' alterations  Excluding tenants' alterations 
			 30 Park Street 1,407 1,203 
			 31 Park Street 1,407 1,203 
			 32 Park Street 1,488 1,203

Gaming Clubs: Planning Permission

Malcolm Moss: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had on the statement of the Casino Advisory Panel that problem gambling is a town planning consideration.

Richard Caborn: The Casino Advisory Panel established by the Secretary of State, to recommend the local authority areas for the 17 new casinos permitted under the Gambling Act 2005, is independent from Government. The panel made its recommendations to the Secretary of State in their final report on 30 January 2007. In paragraph 88, "Ambient and Impulse Gambling", of their final report the Casino Advisory Panel stated:
	"Throughout our consideration of the submitted evidence we noted concern that the location of a casino in or near an area of social deprivation could locally worsen problem gambling and debt. For example, people in financial trouble might see the prospect of an unlimited jackpot as a "quick fix" to their problems. Such concern is supported, for example, in Sir Alan Budd's report by a reference in the British Prevalence Survey associating the highest percentages of problem gambling with table games in a casino, betting and fruit machines, and we note also evidence as to correlation between proximity and problem gambling related to casinos. Our remit, however, is to look at areas rather than sites and we have very much focussed on that. Moreover, town planning policy throughout Britain regards casinos as a town centre use. So our view is that problem gambling is more a town planning consideration rather than one for us, though we have noted in our appraisals where it is proposed to locate a casino near to an area of deprivation. In the event, this consideration has in no case been determinative."
	The Secretary of State is now giving the report careful consideration.

Institute for Public Policy Research

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding the Arts Council of England has provided to the IPPR or IPPR Trading Ltd. in each year since May 1997; and what the purpose was of such funding.

David Lammy: Since January 2003 to date, Arts Council England has provided £91,223.19 to the IPPR.
	Of this figure, £60,306.25 was a contribution to support the "Identity Culture and the Challenge of Diversity" research project. This project explored the contribution that heritage, the arts and culture can make to develop a common sense of belonging. It was co-funded with the Heritage Lottery Fund and The National Museum Directors' Conference.
	The remainder covered conference fees, seminar fees and fees for a secondment.

Leisure

Andy Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the most recent estimate is of the contribution of  (a) sporting and  (b) broader leisure activities to the UK economy.

Richard Caborn: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The latest estimate of the gross value added (GVA) of Sport within the UK was £13.5 million in 2003 (source: Sport Industry Research Centre, 2007. Sport England is due to publish a report entitled "Economic Importance of Sport in England 1985 to 2003" which is part of Sport England's on-going commitment to build the evidence of the economic value of sport. The research has been carried out by The Sport Industry Research Centre.)
	 (b) We have no estimate of the contribution of "broader leisure activities" to the UK economy. The latest available estimate of the gross value added (GVA) of tourism within the UK was £32.8 billion in 2003—equating to 3.4 per cent. of the economy as a whole (estimates based on the UK Tourism Satellite Account First Steps project).

National Lottery: East Riding

David Davis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what  (a) successful and  (b) unsuccessful bids for (i) National Lottery and (ii) Big Lottery Fund awards have been made from organisations located in Haltemprice and Howden constituency over the last three years; and what value of award was made to each successful bid.

Richard Caborn: The total number and value of awards in the last three calendar years by all lottery distributing bodies appears in the table.
	
		
			   Number of awards  Award amount (£) 
			 2004 28 1,642,573 
			 2005 47 607,428 
			 2006 32 157,555 
		
	
	The number and value of awards by the Big Lottery Fund and its predecessor bodies, the community fund and the new opportunities fund are given in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of awards  Award amount (£) 
			 2004 16 1,596,926 
			 2005 21 474,682 
			 2006 1 5,022 
		
	
	To describe the purpose of each of these grants individually could be done only at a disproportionate cost.
	Decisions on whether or not to support individual applications are entirely matters for the independent lottery distributing bodies.
	DCMS Ministers have no involvement in any such decisions by the distributors.
	The information is derived from the Department's lottery grant database. This is searchable at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk, and uses information supplied by the lottery distributors.

Seminars

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport pursuant to the answer of 17 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1182W, on seminars, if she will place in the Library a copy of  (a) a list of the presentations made at and  (b) the report of (i) the April 2006 Strategic Risk Seminar, (ii) the Comprehensive Spending Review and Efficiency Programme Seminar of April 2006, (iii) the November 2006 Equality and Diversity Seminar and (iv) the Conundrums of Reform Seminar of November 2006.

David Lammy: The information is as follows:
	 (i) Strategic Risk Seminar (April 2006)
	The Department did not make any presentations itself and copies of the presentations made by others are not held within the Department.
	 (ii) Comprehensive Spending Review and Efficiency Programme Seminar (April 2006)
	I am arranging for copies of the presentation to be placed in the Library of the House.
	 (iii) Equality and Diversity Seminar of NDPBS (November 2006)
	I am arranging for copies of the presentation to be placed in the Library of the House.
	 (iv) Conundrums of Reform
	A spoken presentation was made. There are no written copies available. There is no report from the seminar.

Sport: Ethnic Groups

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what programmes  (a) her Department and  (b) other bodies for which she is responsible are undertaking to promote the take-up of sport amongst the Chinese community.

Richard Caborn: Under our public service agreement target, we remain committed to increasing sports participation by 3 per cent. by 2008 from priority groups that include black and ethnic minorities. Our non-departmental public body, Sport England, are responsible for delivering this target in conjunction with other partners. This involves using a range of measures, including capacity building to create more coaches and volunteers.
	Every application to Sport England for lottery funding must demonstrate how better access to sport for the priority groups will be achieved. Sport England also fund a number of specific programmes to encourage participation from black and ethnic minorities, which may include take-up from the Chinese community.

World Cup: Football

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total cost was of producing the Feasibility Study into Hosting the World Cup; and how much was accounted for by  (a) report costs,  (b) printing and design,  (c) staff time and  (d) research.

Richard Caborn: The cost of printing the study was £969.94. The cost of the public opinion survey, including the Central Office of Information's work on commissioning and evaluating the survey, was £15,510 (including VAT). No other research was commissioned. An accurate assessment of staff time spent on the review cannot be made as it was part of officials' normal duties.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Absent Voting

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to enable troops serving abroad to cast their votes in  (a) local and  (b) national elections.

Derek Twigg: Arrangements are in place for all service personnel, including those serving abroad, to be able to vote by post or proxy at all elections. However, we advise military personnel serving overseas to cast their vote by proxy, as there is often insufficient time to return a postal ballot by polling day.
	In order to improve accessibility to voting, combined information and registration leaflets, "Register to Vote", are sent each year at the time of the autumn household canvass to every military unit in the UK and abroad, for distribution to its service personnel. These leaflets include forms to register to vote by post or by proxy, which may be used for local or national elections.

Armed Forces: British Nationality

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether time spent on overseas operational service counts towards residency for foreign and commonwealth servicemen serving in the British armed forces.

Derek Twigg: Following a change in rules, announced by the Home Office on 22 November 2006, Commonwealth Service personnel are now able to count time spent serving abroad, including operational tours, towards the residency requirement for an application for British citizenship while in service. This change does not apply to serving members of the Brigade of Gurkhas, who will not be able to count their military service towards the residential requirement until they leave the Brigade (although it will all be counted retrospectively once they have left). They are and will remain citizens of Nepal throughout their Service in the Brigade of Gurkhas.

Armed Forces: Children

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is available to children of servicemen killed or seriously injured while on operations.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence places a very high priority on the welfare of its service personnel and their families. The needs will differ from family to family and therefore each case is considered on an individual basis to ensure that specific requirements are addressed. Families are assigned a visiting officer who acts as the link between the family and the services. The visiting officers will also help and direct the family to the most appropriate internal and external welfare agencies for specific areas of support.

Armed Forces: Electoral Register

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is his Department's policy to distribute annual individual electoral roll registration forms to service personnel.

Derek Twigg: In conjunction with the Electoral Commission, the Ministry of Defence runs an annual information campaign, to coincide with the autumn household canvass, designed to inform and encourage service personnel and their families to register to vote. As part of this campaign, every military post in the UK and throughout the world is sent the combined information and registration leaflet, 'Register to Vote', for distribution to all service personnel. These leaflets include a service declaration form which enables the service person, and his spouse or civil partner, to register as a service voter.

Armed Forces: Holiday Leave

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce changes to  (a) mid-deployment leave entitlements and  (b) post operational leave entitlements for armed forces personnel.

Derek Twigg: Personnel undertaking operational deployments are entitled to Rest and Recuperation. This is not leave and is to be taken at a time, location and for a duration specified by the operational commander. A review of Rest and Recuperation is under way and an announcement will be made in due course.
	Post operational leave is not included in the review of Rest and Recuperation.

Armed Forces: Horses

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many horses are stabled at the expense of the Royal Air Force but not owned by them; and at what annual cost;
	(2)  how many horses the Royal Air Force owns; and what the total annual cost of keeping them was in 2005-06.

Derek Twigg: No privately owned horses are stabled at the expense of the Royal Air Force. The Royal Air Force does not own any horses.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much Annington Homes paid for housing and land purchased from his Department; and how much the company paid for that purchased in Colchester.

Derek Twigg: The 1996 sale agreement between the Secretary of State for Defence and Annington Homes Limited (AHL) involved the transfer of 57,428 properties in England and Wales for a consideration of £1.66 billion. Of this amount, £34.5 million was for properties at Colchester.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are in place to audit the implementation of the profit-sharing scheme with Annington Homes in relation to former Ministry of Defence housing and land; and if he will make a statement.

Derek Twigg: The Ministry of Defence has appointed Scott-Moncrieff, chartered accountants, as reporting accountants to assist with verification of year-end disposal statements and agree profit share due under the profit sharing agreement with Annington Homes Limited. Prior to 2003, Ernst and Young, chartered accountants, were the Department's reporting accountants. Disposal statements are prepared by AHL, and reviewed by its independent auditors, Deloitte and Touche LLP.

Armed Forces: Housing

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the proceeds of subsequent sales by Annington Homes of former Ministry of Defence housing is returned to HM Treasury under profit-sharing arrangements.

Derek Twigg: Under the terms of the 1996 profit share agreement with Annington Homes Limited, 25 per cent. of sale proceeds is currently returned to Her Majesty's Treasury.
	The November 1996 sale agreement with AHL includes a profit share agreement, 25 per cent. of sale proceeds are currently returned to HM Treasury.

Armed Forces: Marriage Guidance

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what marriage counselling and support is available to  (a) the families of armed forces personnel and  (b) armed forces personnel serving in theatre.

Derek Twigg: Support for non-deployed armed forces personnel and families is available through comprehensive individual Service welfare resources, which offer varying degrees of relationship counselling and also direct people to professional advice services such as Relate or local counselling services overseas.
	Support to armed forces personnel in theatre is primarily through the Chain of Command, supported by Service Religious Leaders and medical staff where appropriate. There is provision for a range of methods of contact between Service personnel and their families, including welfare phone calls, and cases where local Commanders have discretion to return Service personnel from Theatre for compassionate reasons. Service welfare staff remain available in home base locations to support families during deployments of Service personnel.

Armed Forces: Mass Media

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what guidelines his Department has issued to  (a) service personnel and  (b) civilian staff on interviews and meetings with (i) journalists and (ii) hon. Members; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

Derek Twigg: Guidelines were issued in Defence Council Instruction (DCI) 200 published in 2004. I have placed a copy of the DCI in the Library of the House.

Army: Foreigners

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will remove Zimbabwe from the list of countries given Commonwealth status for army recruits.

Derek Twigg: holding answer 23 February 2007
	The list to which you refer is in Schedule 3 of the British Nationality Act 1981 whose citizens have Commonwealth status by virtue of section 37 of that Act. Despite Zimbabwe voluntarily withdrawing from the Commonwealth in July 2003, following their suspension from the Council of the Commonwealth earlier that year, the status of their citizens is not affected in UK law, and they remain eligible to join the British armed forces. To change this situation would require an Order in Council amending the British Nationality Act 1981 and currently there are no plans to make such an Order in respect of Zimbabwe.

Gurkhas: Pensions

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the pension entitlements of retired Gurkhas.

Derek Twigg: British Army Gurkhas serve under their own unique terms and conditions of service, which include a pension scheme. The Gurkha Pension Scheme is based on the Indian Army model. It provides an immediate pension at Indian Army rates, according to rank, to every Gurkha who completes at least 15 years service, together with associated lump-sum payments. 15 years is the maximum length of service permitted to soldiers on the Gurkha engagement up to and including the rank of corporal. The pension increases for higher ranks, including Queen's Gurkha officers and longer service, but only WO1 and above can normally serve up to 22 years. Pensions are calculated in Indian Rupees and paid in Nepali Rupees, with MOD bearing all exchange costs and losses. They are uplifted annually for local inflation.
	In a 1981 review, Gurkha pensions were set at the top band of the relevant Indian Army scales. In 1999, Gurkha pensions were uplifted by at least 100 per cent. to reflect the benefits "in kind" understood to be provided to Indian Army "Gorkha" pensioners in India, such as medical facilities.
	The current review of Gurkha terms and conditions of service has been looking at the case for changing these arrangements for those Gurkhas who left the Army on or after 1 July 1997. Account has been taken of the trend, resulting from the change to the immigration rules in 2004, for ex-Gurkhas to settle in UK rather than Nepal. 1 July 1997 was the date when the Gurkhas became a UK-based force on completion of the withdrawal from Hong Kong. It was not our intention, as part of the review, to address pension arrangements for those who retired before 1 July 1997.
	An announcement will be made in due course.

Iraq: Army

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the size of the Iraqi  (a) army and  (b) police force is; and what forecast he has made of its size in July.

Des Browne: At present there are approximately 132,800 personnel in the Iraqi army and approximately 135,000 personnel in the Iraqi police. The Iraqi Prime Minister has publicly stated his aspiration to expand the Iraqi army by approximately 37,000 to around 170,000 by January 2008. The size of the Iraqi police service is not expected to increase significantly over the coming months.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

BAE Systems: Saudi Arabia

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Export Credits Guarantee Department forwarded any suspicions of bribery to the Serious Fraud Office arising from the application for cover from BAE Systems for the sale of Eurofighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia.

Ian McCartney: ECGD has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the SFO, relating to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001, which came into effect in 2002. Under that MoU ECGD passes on any allegation of corrupt activity to the relevant investigatory authority. At the time of this application, an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office was, as is public knowledge, in being. Questions of operational detail of any investigation should be referred to the relevant investigatory authority.

BAE Systems: Saudi Arabia

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Export Credits Guarantee Department received the application for cover from BAE Systems for the sale of Eurofighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia; and when the cover was issued.

Ian McCartney: The application for cover was dated 22 June 2006 and was delivered to ECGD on 28 June 2006. The contract of cover was entered into on 12 September 2006.

BAE Systems: Saudi Arabia

Roger Berry: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in connection with its contract of indemnity regarding the sale of Eurofighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia, the Export Credits Guarantee Department used its discretionary powers to request further information from BAE Systems as to the identity of its agents and the amounts of any commissions, fees or other remuneration paid.

Ian McCartney: It was stated by BAES in its application that no agents had any part in obtaining or negotiating this contract and that no commissions or fees were paid.

Cellular Phones: Fees and Charges

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects regulations to reduce the costs of mobile phone calls across EU borders to come into effect.

Margaret Hodge: The Commission Proposal for a Regulation on International Roaming (COM(2006)382 final) is currently being considered by the EU Council and the European Parliament. The German presidency has signalled their intention, which I support, to secure an agreement on the regulation by the summer. This would allow the regulation to be adopted in the early autumn with a consequential reduction in retail roaming prices before the end of the year. This timetable is, of course, dependent on agreement being reached by all parties.

Centre for Energy Policy Studies

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Government funding has been provided to the Centre for Energy Policy Studies.

Malcolm Wicks: No Government funding has been provided to the Centre for Energy Studies based at the Judge Institute at the University of Cambridge.

Companies Act 2006

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to publish advice on directors' interpretation of their duties in relation to the reporting of social and environmental matters in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.

Margaret Hodge: We shall shortly publish extracts from statements made by Ministers in Parliament during the passage of the Companies Act 2006 in relation to the statutory statement of directors' duties to the company. These gave important guidance to the new statutory statement.

Departments: Civil Servants

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total sum of bonuses paid to civil servants in his Department was in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department of Trade and Industry awards non-consolidated bonuses in two formats:
	1. Special bonuses for exceptional performance in particularly demanding tasks or situations. Staff in receipt of special bonus may also receive an annual performance award.
	2. Annual performance awards paid to highly successful performers as part of the annual pay award.
	Based on the information available, the total sum of bonuses paid in 2005 and 2006 is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			  Financial year( 1)  Special bonuses  Performance awards  Total value 
			 2005-06 572,902 1,808,630 2,381,532 
			 2006-07(2) 333,827 2,261,641 2,595,468 
			 (1) Financial years run from 1 April to 31 March. (2) Figures for 2006-07 for special bonuses and performance awards can only be made available up to 31 January 2007.

Departments: Freedom of Information

Michael Wills: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of monitoring the time spent processing requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the purposes of the proposed fees regulations.

Jim Fitzpatrick: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Constitutional Affairs on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, column 866W as follows.
	"In Spring 2006 the department conducted an exercise across central government departments to assess the time taken to process Freedom of Information requests received in a monitored period.
	No data was collected to estimate the cost of conducting this exercise."

Departments: Theft

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what items valued at above £100 were reported as stolen from his Department's buildings or premises in the last 12 months.

Jim Fitzpatrick: 24 items were reported as either lost or stolen in DTI's three London buildings since during the period January 2006 to December 2006. The breakdown and total approximate value is in the following table:
	
		
			  Description  Number reported missing  Cumulative value January to December (£) 
			 Laptop 8 8,000.00 
			 Mobile phone 14 1,400.00 
			 PDA 1 300.00 
			 Digital camera 1 500.00 
			 Total 24 10,200.00

Drugs: Licensing

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans the Government have to ensure that the special position of the Channel Islands is not abused to provide a home for those marketing illegal and potentially dangerous products to the United Kingdom.

Ian McCartney: The Government have no plans as current UK legislation already contains adequate provisions for the effective enforcement of product safety requirements, regardless of where products are sourced.

Electronic Equipment: Waste Disposal

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions the Government plans to have with representatives of the electrical industry on implementation of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive.

Malcolm Wicks: The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Regulations 2006, implementing the WEEE Directive, were laid before the House on 12 December 2006, following extensive consultation with business. We will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure an effective WEEE system in the UK.

Employment: Equality

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is of the compliance costs to date of employers in  (a) the private sector and  (b) the public sector of complying with the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The final regulatory impact assessment (RIA) for the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 estimated that the one-off implementation costs for firms to familiarise themselves and hence comply with the new legislation would amount to £219 million.
	The RIA also estimated that there would be around 8,000 employment tribunal claims per year at a cost of £30 million to employers and £8 million to the Exchequer.

Employment: Equality

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his assessment is of rates of compliance with the provisions of the Employment Equality (Age) Regulations by employers in  (a) the private sector and  (b) the public sector.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations apply to all employers in the private and public sector. Employers who fail to comply with them are liable to be taken to an employment tribunal by individuals who believe they have been subject to unlawful age discrimination. To date, there have been 558 claims lodged with the employment tribunal service. This suggests that the vast majority of employers have recognised the value of taking a non-ageist approach.

Employment: Equality

Anne Begg: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department plans to take to ensure the enforcement of age discrimination regulations for  (a) young and  (b) older workers.

Jim Fitzpatrick: As with other strands of discrimination legislation individuals of any age can enforce their employment rights through employment tribunals. Once the Commission for Equality and Human Rights (CEHR) is established in October it will provide institutional support on age discrimination for the first time. The new Commission will be an independent influential champion whose purpose is to reduce inequality, eliminate discrimination, strengthen good relations between people and protect human rights. The CEHR will take an active role in helping to achieve change to benefit some of the most vulnerable and least well represented people in our society.

Energy Services Directive

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government plan to take on the implementation of Article 13 of the Energy Services Directive after the metering and billing consultation.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are reviewing responses to the recent consultation document published on this issue and considering how to go forward on the need for better billing and metering, including any measures that might be required to implement Article 13 of the Energy Services Directive.

Energy: Television

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the energy requirements of  (a) analogue and  (b) digital television systems.

Margaret Hodge: The Government's Market Transformation Programme (MTP) has analysed the performances of over 630 televisions sold in 2004, 2005 and 2006 and has concluded that the difference in energy consumption between analogue and integrated digital televisions (IDTVs) is negligible.
	The annual consumption of a television varies significantly with screen size and television type, and defining what constitutes a 'typical' television is difficult. However, for a 32 inch widescreen cathode-ray television, MTP estimates that the annual consumption will be 292 kWh, and 310 kWh for a LCD screen of the same size. A 42 inch (a typical size for this technology) plasma TV will consume 746 kWh per year.
	However, digital transmission is more efficient than analogue in terms of power usage. Replacing the analogue terrestrial transmission network with a nationwide digital terrestrial television network will lead to a significant net reduction in energy usage by transmission networks, estimated to be 186 GWh per year.

Imports: Developing Countries

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of imports of  (a) goods and  (b) services to EU which were not subject to (i) duty and (ii) quotas from (A) least developed countries (LDCs), (B) non-LDC African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, (C)(1) low income non-LDC countries, (2) lower mid-income non-LDC countries, (3) upper mid-income non-LDC countries and (4) high income countries as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee and (D) the world as a whole in each year since 1980.

Ian McCartney: The information requested is either not available or could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Imports: Developing Countries

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the value was of  (a) imports and  (b) exports of (i) goods and (ii) services between the EU15 and (A) least developed countries (LDCs) as currently defined, (B) non-LDC African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries, (C)(1) low income non-LDC countries, (2) lower mid-income non-LDC countries, (3) upper mid-income non-LDC countries and (4) high income countries as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee and (D) the world as a whole in each year since 1980.

Ian McCartney: Figures for imports and exports of goods are shown in the following two tables.
	
		
			  Imports of goods to the European Union 15 
			  Billion US$  A  B  C1  C2  C3  C4  D 
			 1980 7.1 29.1 22.4 55.6 65.9 0.1 399.3 
			 1981 6.0 22.2 15.6 43.9 72.8 0.2 358.7 
			 1982 5.2 21.1 15.9 47.1 53.3 0.1 331.6 
			 1983 5.2 19.6 15.1 44.1 38.0 0.1 307.4 
			 1984 6.0 22.1 17.2 44.7 33.7 0.1 311.9 
			 1985 6.0 24.4 18.3 46.5 32.3 0.1 315.8 
			 1986 6.2 19.6 14.9 41.9 30.0 0.1 329.6 
			 1987 6.7 18.7 15.3 50.0 31.6 0.2 390.6 
			 1988 7.4 20.7 16.5 53.4 35.8 0.2 436.9 
			 1989 7.7 22.3 18.2 63.6 38.9 0.2 481.1 
			 1990 8.5 26.8 23.4 76.2 46.8 0.2 568.7 
			 1991 7.9 26.2 24.7 80.8 50.5 0.2 588.6 
			 1992 8.2 25.9 26.4 90.6 52.2 0.2 604.5 
			 1993 6.7 21.5 26.3 83.7 46.9 0.2 564.1 
			 1994 7.6 23.9 31.1 92.3 51.3 0.1 620.8 
			 1995 9.2 24.1 35.1 105.0 57.7 0.2 728.2 
			 1996 9.4 29.7 40.0 116.0 59.5 0.2 759.5 
			 1997 9.4 28.9 39.5 126.2 61.1 0.3 793.0 
			 1998 9.7 27.0 38.3 129.7 58.4 0.3 827.7 
			 1999 9.4 26.9 37.6 138.5 57.9 0.3 855.9 
			 2000 11.3 30.7 42.3 170.3 70.3 0.4 965.8 
			 2001 12.5 32.5 42.6 172.1 68.3 0.4 949.0 
			 2002 12.8 31.8 42.8 177.4 67.8 0.4 956.4 
			 2003 13.8 37.4 52.6 236.1 83.3 0.3 1156.0 
			 2004 17.3 43.3 60.5 313.1 105.1 0.3 1413.5 
			 2005 21.0 51.7 70.0 377.3 124.0 0.5 1601.4 
			  Source:  United Nations Comtrade database 
		
	
	
		
			  Exports of goods from the European Union 15 
			  Billion US$  A  B  C1  C2  C3  C4  D 
			 1980 8.4 23.5 19.0 51.2 32.2 0.4 303.0 
			 1981 7.7 24.4 20.1 55.0 33.4 0.4 298.3 
			 1982 7.3 20.0 18.5 50.8 31.1 0.6 279.8 
			 1983 6.2 15.5 14.1 47.0 27.5 0.7 270.6 
			 1984 6.1 15.2 12.9 45.7 25.5 0.6 279.8 
			 1985 6.4 13.8 13.7 45.6 22.7 0.6 292.5 
			 1986 6.8 14.7 15.5 45.9 24.7 0.5 335.7 
			 1987 7.7 15.6 17.1 48.3 26.3 0.5 384.9 
			 1988 8.3 17.3 17.9 52.4 26.8 0.5 410.3 
			 1989 8.5 17.1 18.5 55.3 27.4 0.6 434.6 
			 1990 9.8 18.9 20.7 68.4 31.7 0.6 504.2 
			 1991 8.5 18.8 19.9 68.4 37.6 0.8 502.9 
			 1992 10.1 19.9 24.0 79.4 46.5 0.9 536.8 
			 1993 8.8 18.9 23.7 82.3 48.7 0.7 549.4 
			 1994 8.2 19.5 24.5 85.8 57.5 0.7 622.0 
			 1995 10.6 24.3 32.0 104.5 66.0 0.7 755.6 
			 1996 9.9 25.4 35.3 110.3 68.6 0.7 795.1 
			 1997 10.0 24.9 34.2 115.6 78.8 0.7 822.0 
			 1998 11.3 26.2 27.4 113.9 76.0 0.8 830.2 
			 1999 9.3 23.9 25.3 105.5 67.4 1.1 807.9 
			 2000 10.2 25.1 27.6 118.6 69.6 0.8 852.8 
			 2001 10.5 26.0 27.7 117.6 72.4 0.8 872.8 
			 2002 10.6 27.7 31.0 130.3 70.4 0.9 937.2 
			 2003 13.0 32.7 37.2 169.2 79.5 1.0 1108.8 
			 2004 14.1 38.8 46.7 216.1 92.6 1.4 1328.8 
			 2005 17.3 44.0 54.3 236.0 103.8 1.4 1444.7 
			  Notes to table: A: Afghanistan, Angola, Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cambodia, Cape Verde, Central African, Chad, Comoros, Congo (Dem Rep), Djibouti, East Timor, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Haiti, Kiribati, Laos, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, Niger, Republic, Rwanda, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Yemen, Zambia  B: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Congo (Rep), Cook Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Micronesia (Fed States), Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, Ivory Coast, Jamaica, Kenya, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, South Africa, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Zimbabwe  C1: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cameroon, Congo (Rep of), Georgia, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Kyrgyz Rep, Moldova, Mongolia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Viet Nam, Zimbabwe  C2: Albania, Algeria, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Iran, Iraq, Jamaica, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Macedonia (FYR), Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Fed States), Morocco, Namibia, Niue, Palestinian areas, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St. Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Swaziland, Syria, Thailand, Tokelau, Tonga, Tunisia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Wallis and Futuna  C3: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Barbados, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, Cook Islands, Costa Rica, Croatia, Dominica, Gabon, Grenada, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mexico, Montserrat, Nauru, Oman, Palau, Panama, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Uruguay, Venezuela  C4: Bahrain D: World excluding European Union 15  Note:  There may be discontinuities due to changes to boundaries and reporters over time.  Source:  United Nations Comtrade database 
		
	
	A detailed complete country breakdown of trade in services is not available. Figures for EU15 trade in services with the rest of the world are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Billion ECU (1992-98) Billion euro (1999-2005)  EU 15 debits (Imports of services)  EU15 credits (Exports of services) 
			 1992 145.4 159.2 
			 1993 153.7 166.6 
			 1994 162.4 174.3 
			 1995 164.2 176.3 
			 1996 186.8 200.3 
			 1997 218.1 235.8 
			 1998 229.2 241.1 
			 1999 258.9 264.7 
			 2000 304.4 309.6 
			 2001 319.5 326.8 
			 2002 313.0 336.9 
			 2003 312.7 343.0 
			 2004 338.3 377.6 
			 2005 365.7 413.4 
			  Source:  Eurostat

Meters: Fees and Charges

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the findings of his Department's metering and billing consultation were; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Government are currently reviewing responses to the consultation document and considering how best to move forward on the need for better billing and metering.

National Physical Laboratory

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial losses arose from the failed private finance initiative for the National Physical Laboratory.

Malcolm Wicks: In their report on "The Termination of the PFI Contract for the National Physical Laboratory" the National Audit Office stated that the private sector reported a loss of at least £100 million. The delays in the project meant that the Department did not receive the operational benefits of the new building as early as planned but NAO concluded that ultimately the termination sum paid by the Department should represent value for money.

Pipelines: Sakhalin Island

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the policy of the Export Credits Guarantee Department is on support for the Sakhalin II oil and gas project.

Ian McCartney: holding answer 26 February 2007
	ECGD continues to apply its normal underwriting policy and business principles to consideration of support for this project, on which decisions have yet to be taken.

Post Offices: Herefordshire

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what post office closures are planned in Herefordshire.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Government's proposals for the future of the Post Office network are set out in the Department's consultation paper published on 14 December 2006. No proposals have been made for individual post offices. Post Office Ltd retains operational responsibility for decisions on individual post offices. Following the Government's consultation it will be for Post Office Ltd to implement the necessary transformation of the network in accordance with the framework set by Government.

Trade: Madagascar

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent assessment he has made of UK-Madagascan trade; and what steps he has taken to increase trade between the two countries.

Ian McCartney: Trade between the UK and Madagascar is small. UK exports to Madagascar in 2005 were £6.58 million and UK imports from Madagascar were £15.47 million. We do not have any specific measures in place to increase trade between the two countries but UK Trade and Investment in London offers general advice and information to UK companies wishing to trade with Madagascar. Commercial interests in Madagascar are also represented through our high commission in Port Louis, Mauritius.

Written Questions

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to reply to question 121265, tabled by the hon. Member for Sunderland, South on 8 February.

Ian McCartney: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 551W.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agriculture: Migrant Workers

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect on the output of  (a) British agriculture and  (b) the soft fruit sector of the ending of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers' Scheme.

Barry Gardiner: The Department has not made any specific economic assessment of the impact of phasing out the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) on British agriculture and the soft fruit sector.
	However, the Government are fully aware of the concerns expressed by farmers and growers that the abolition of SAWS will adversely impact upon their businesses by depriving the industry of a source of much needed seasonal workers. To address these concerns the Government decided that SAWS should not be phased out until 2010. This is to allow time for the industry to adapt to new sources of supply of workers from the new member states. It is evident from data collected by the Worker Registration Scheme that many farmers and growers are making this transition. According to the Accession Monitoring Report (produced by the Home Office, Department for Work and Pensions, HM Revenue and Customs and Department for Communities and Local Government) between May 2004 to September 2006 some 56,000 workers from the A8 member states (excluding Cyprus and Malta) registered to work in the agricultural and horticultural sectors.
	The Government appreciate that there may be occasions when, despite the availability of workers from the new member states, employers are still unable to recruit sufficient workers to meet their labour needs. The Government have therefore made provision under Tier 3 of the Points-Based System (PBS) for managed migration to set up short-term, quota-based schemes for workers from outside the EU to address temporary shortages. This will ensure that we can respond flexibly and quickly to meet shortages in the supply of workers when these cannot be met from the resident and EU labour force.
	Together, these measures should ensure that the phasing out of SAWS will have a minimal impact on British agriculture.

Animal Breeding: Dogs

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will ban the farming of puppies.

Ben Bradshaw: There are already regulations in place which control the commercial breeding and sale of dogs. These regulations are enforced by local authorities who have powers to license and inspect premises for purposes of animal welfare.
	In addition to the existing regulations, from 6 April, under the new Animal Welfare Act, all owners and keepers of animals will have a statutory duty to provide for the welfare needs of their animals. Failure to do so could result in a fine of £5,000 or six months' imprisonment, or both.
	It is our intention to replace the current dog-breeding legislation with new regulations, introduced as secondary legislation, under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. We will consider whether the regulations controlling the commercial breeding and sale of dogs need to be tightened.
	The Kennel Club have recently launched an Accredited Breeders Scheme which seeks to raise the welfare level of breeding bitches and their puppies. This scheme will provide valuable lessons when it comes to framing any new legislation in this area. However, it will take time for these lessons to be evaluated and therefore it would be premature to speculate on the timing of any new legislation.

Avian Influenza

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance his Department has issued on the export of  (a) poultry,  (b) eggs and  (c) other relevant agricultural produce for the containment of H5N1.

Ben Bradshaw: Defra has issued instructions to the State Veterinary Service (SVS) on what export health certificates SVS Animal Health Divisional Offices can issue to exporters for live poultry, hatching eggs, poultry meat and other poultry products.
	Most UK trade with other European Union (EU) member states is unaffected by the Suffolk outbreak. Trade to the EU from outside the restricted areas is proceeding normally. Trade to the EU from within the restricted areas is subject to specific EU rules. We have issued guidance on the Defra website on what exports can and cannot take place from the areas under restriction:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/animalh/diseases/notifiable/disease/ai/qanda/exports.htm.
	I have arranged for copies of the summary of EU trade restrictions to be placed in the Library of the House.
	Defra has also been issuing daily advice to exporters, since the beginning of the outbreak, on import restrictions that have been imposed by non-EU countries.
	Defra is working closely with exporters, UK Overseas Posts and many veterinary authorities of non-EU countries to try to keep export markets open.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much meat from  (a) geese and  (b) turkeys was imported into the UK from (i) Hungary, (ii) Europe and (iii) the rest of the world in each of the last six months.

Ben Bradshaw: The following table gives the value and volume of turkey and duck, geese or guinea fowl meat products imported to the UK in each month, from July to December 2006, from Hungary, Europe (all of which are from the EU) and the rest of the world. It is not possible to entirely separate imports of geese meat products from the combined category duck, geese or guinea fowl. December 2006 figures are currently the latest which are available.
	
		
			   2006 
			   July  August  September  October  November  December 
			  Country/region and type  £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes  £000  Tonnes 
			  Hungary 
			 Turkey 3,295 1,694 1,658 792 3,153 1,393 3,371 1,478 4,022 1,622 3,633 1,604 
			 Duck, Geese or Guinea Fowl 61 36 78 39 203 102 334 216 387 185 196 97 
			  European Union (including Hungary) 
			 Turkey 8,776 3,931 7,008 2,556 8,216 3,729 12,098 5,240 14,447 5,886 17,398 6,931 
			 Duck, Geese or Guinea Fowl 3,723 1,719 3,554 1,482 3,363 1,492 4,703 2,125 5,314 2,193 4,088 1,663 
			  
			  Rest of the world 
			 Turkey 105 69 248 165 220 147 295 182 98 55 118 65 
			  Notes: 1. Some additional turkey and geese meat products may be imported which are not separately identifiable from other poultry. 2. 2006 data are subject to amendments  Source:  HM Revenue and Customs Data prepared by Trade statistics, Agricultural Statistics and Analysis Division, DEFRA

Avian Influenza

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the remit and role is of scientists in his Department in providing advice on avian influenza; and if he will place in the Library copies of the advice provided by those scientists since 19 January 2007.

Ben Bradshaw: As the Secretary of State said in his statement to the House on 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 29, our avian influenza policy is guided by scientific evidence. Scientific evidence is important because it provides the evidence base of our decision making process. The DEFRA Chief Scientific Adviser and, through him, Ministers are guided by expert and, as appropriate, additional independent advice.
	A key source of expert advice on avian influenza is the Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA), which is an executive Agency of DEFRA. The VLA is the OIE World and European Union reference laboratory for avian influenza. The Agency's disease consultancy is ISO9001 certified and all diagnostic tests for avian influenza are either certified by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) or have been robustly validated and have been submitted for UKAS certification.
	Scientists at the VLA together with DEFRA scientists, representatives of the Science Advisory Council and scientists in the Devolved Administrations provide regular advice through the Exotic Diseases of Poultry Experts Group.
	DEFRA scientists also monitor outbreaks of high pathogenic avian influenza worldwide since the first reported outbreaks in south-east Asia at the end of 2004, and assess the risk of virus introduction to the UK.
	Although it would not be practical to place all scientific advice in the House Library, an interim report into the source of the recent outbreak in Surrey was published on 19 February and is available from the Library. The final report will also be made available when it is published.

Avian Influenza

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect of the recent outbreak of avian influenza upon the revenues of poultry farms.

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the recent H5N1 outbreak and adverse publicity on  (a) the poultry meat sector,  (b) the turkey meat sector and  (c) British exports of poultry meat.

Ben Bradshaw: We are monitoring the market impact of this outbreak closely. It is too early to say what the wider impacts on the industry will be. Clearly our objective is to manage this situation efficiently and effectively and to minimise adverse impacts on the poultry industry.
	Market impacts of animal disease are a risk carried by the industry. However, the Government seek to minimise that risk, particularly by encouraging wide public understanding of the issues and an evidence-based and proportionate response.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many turkeys were brought into the Holton site on each day since the ban on movement was lifted; and how many were slaughtered on each day;
	(2)  how many live birds there are at Holton farm.

Ben Bradshaw: As part of the disease control measures put into place after H5N1 was confirmed, all the live turkeys on the affected farm were culled. The culling was completed on 5 February and there has been no live poultry on the site since then.
	The slaughterhouse and processing plant on the site adjacent to the effected farm are obliged to adhere to the restrictions of the Protection Zone. We do not hold information on the number of turkeys that have been slaughtered on this site since it was re-designated for use.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what monitoring is being undertaken of wild birds for the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

Ben Bradshaw: Targeted surveillance for all types of avian influenza viruses in wild birds is in place throughout the UK and is ongoing. The targeted surveillance focuses on species of wild birds that experts believe to have a greater potential role in the spread of avian influenza viruses. There is a comprehensive list which generally includes ducks, geese, swans, gulls and waders. Sampling is targeted to high priority surveillance areas, which have been chosen on the basis of abundance of migratory waterbird species and domestic poultry. Members of the public can report dead swans, ducks, geese, waders and gulls by calling the Defra Helpline on 08459 33 55 77.
	There are also over 300 selected reserves across the UK that are actively patrolled by partner organisations on a voluntary basis for dead wild birds, which are then tested. Since the beginning of February over 300 wild bird reserve patrols had been carried out.
	Within the area around the infected premises in Suffolk and Norfolk, there have been enhanced levels of surveillance of wild birds. We are aware of 30 key waterbird locations in Suffolk (such as estuaries and marshes). 12 of these locations are within 20 kilometres of the infected premises, of which 10 are patrolled regularly as part of the programme. Six of those sites have been patrolled over 100 times since the patrol programme began in early November 2006.
	After consultation with expert ornithological groups we decided that at the infected premises it would be more practical to take faecal samples from the environment than catch and test live wild birds. These samples were negative.

Avian Influenza

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how long he expects it to take to identify the source of the H5N1 virus outbreak at Holton.

Ben Bradshaw: The investigation is still ongoing and it is not known, at present, when it will conclude. A full epidemiological report will be published as soon as possible.

Avian Influenza: Disease Control

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of measures to prevent avian influenza through confinement of birds upon the status of organic poultry farms.

Ben Bradshaw: Should a requirement to house poultry flocks for veterinary reason be imposed on a national, regional or area basis, poultry flocks will retain their free-range status for up to 12 weeks. The organic status of poultry flocks will not be affected by legally imposed housing measures so long as all other requirements of the Compendium of UK Organic Status continue to be met.

Bio-fuels: Developing Countries

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Department for International Development on the impact on developing countries of UK and EU policy on setting targets for bio-fuels.

Ian Pearson: My Department is in regular contact with the Department for International Development (DFID) to discuss a whole range of issues related to bio-fuels, including the impacts of policies on developing countries.
	Defra and DFID sit jointly on the advisory group set up to oversee the sustainability reporting framework being developed for use by obligated companies under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). This work will create a framework which supports the aims of the RTFO while taking into account the interests of developing nations.
	Additionally, Defra and DFID are collaborating on a UK-Brazil-Southern Africa Bio-fuels Taskforce that is initially focused on assisting Mozambique to draft and implement a national bio-fuels strategy. It is envisaged that the work of the Taskforce will lead to a global bio-fuels sustainability standard.

Birds

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the evidential basis is that DNA testing techniques can establish the genetic makeup of falcon hybrids, as outlined in option 4 of the Review of Bird Registration;
	(2)  whether birds claimed as hybrids of species  (a) not currently listed in schedule 4 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 and  (b) proposed for removal from the schedule can be reliably distinguished from those species which are required to be registered; and what methods are available to aid identification.

Barry Gardiner: As part of the public consultation exercise for the review of the Bird Registration Scheme, my officials asked the Forensic Working Group (FWG) of the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime to specifically consider the DMA forensic issues relating to registration, including those associated with hybrids. The exercise closed on 16 February 2007 and over the coming weeks we will be considering the Forensic Working Group's contribution alongside all the other responses received. A summary of responses received will be published on the Defra website.

Birds: Registration

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the impact of bird registration under schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on the number of birds taken illegally from the wild;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the extent of the deterrent effect of convictions based on registration details supplied under schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 on crimes involving schedule 4 birds.

Barry Gardiner: These assessments will be made as part of the ongoing exercise to review the registration controls under schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Until that exercise is completed, and the results of the related public consultation have been considered, it would be premature of me to comment on these issues.

Birds: Registration

Elliot Morley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many convictions for possession of birds listed on schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have relied on registration details supplied by his Department to secure the convictions.

Barry Gardiner: No definitive records are kept of such convictions so it is impossible to say how many have relied on registration records for securing the conviction.

Carbon Dioxide: Pollution Control

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the UK target of cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent. by 2050 was first adopted; and what the result was of each review of the target since that date.

Ian Pearson: holding answer 23 February 2007
	In its 2000 report, "Energy-The Changing Climate", the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution (RCEP) recommended that:
	"The Government should now adopt a strategy which puts the UK on a path to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by some 60 per cent. from current levels by about 2050".
	In the 2003 Energy White Paper, we said that our ambition is for the world's developed economies to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 60 per cent. by around 2050 and we therefore accepted the RCEP's recommendation.
	The target will be kept under review to take account of emerging scientific evidence and other developments.

Common Agricultural Policy

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the effects of the common agricultural policy on  (a) food prices and  (b) annual household food bills since its inception; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The common agricultural policy (CAP), through a series of policies that offer farmers prices above the world market level for their products, pushes food prices up. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates that the CAP cost European Union (EU) consumers about €42 billion in 2005 through higher food prices (about €360 for a family of four). Furthermore, this burden is borne disproportionately by the poorest in society and the poorest EU member states, who spend twice the proportion of their income on food. This is on top of the budgetary costs (another €50 billion a year and at a cost of a further €440 for a family of four).

Dangerous Dogs Act 1991

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he is reviewing the list of breeds established under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: Following the recent tragic dog attacks on children, my Department has been undertaking an urgent review of the dangerous dogs legislation. We have recently written to all chief constables asking for their views on whether the legislation needs to be amended and, if so, what they would wish to see included. We will analyse the responses we receive from the police before consulting more widely.
	Although it is not currently our intention to amend the types of dogs prohibited under the 1991 Act, we will need to consider fully what the police and other key interest groups have to say about this matter.

Departmental Contracts

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which public affairs firms were given contracts by  (a) his Department and  (b) public bodies sponsored by his Department in each of the last five years; and what the purpose was of each contract.

Barry Gardiner: Public affairs firms are defined as those advising their clients on politics and Government, including lobbying government. From information held centrally, the core-Department has awarded no contracts to public affairs firms. Information about sponsored public bodies expenditure, if any, with public affairs firms is not held centrally and the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departments: Orders and Regulations

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many regulations his Department revoked in each year since 2001.

Barry Gardiner: The Department has made over 750 general and local statutory instruments since 2001. However, the Department does not have a central database of revoked regulations and collation of the data requested would involve disproportionate cost.
	The Department views the revocation, modernisation and rationalisation of its regulations as an essential part of its approach to regulating better. For example, the Veterinary Medicines Regulations, which govern the statutory controls on veterinary medicines, provided much needed clarity and improved comprehension by replacing part of the Medicines Act 1968 and 49 separate statutory instruments.
	The Veterinary Medicines Regulations are one of a number of simplification measures the Department is taking forward. The Department's 2006 simplification plan, 'Maximising Outcomes, Minimising Burdens', identifies a reduction in the administrative burden Defra imposes on business of £159 million, more than 30 per cent. of the Department's total administrative burden. Copies of the simplification plan are available from the Library of the House.

Departments: Pendle

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what expenditure is planned to be carried out in Pendle by his Department in the years up to 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: Expenditure information is not currently held by the Department on a constituency basis and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Expenditure plans for the years 2008-09 to 2010-11 are subject to the outcome of the 2007 comprehensive spending review which is yet to be concluded.

Environment Agency

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to his answer of 6 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 454W on the Environment Agency, what factors were taken into account when deciding to close the website under the Transformational government strategy.

Ian Pearson: The NetRegs website was included in a list of websites to be rationalised as part of the restructuring of Government channels of advice to the business community, initiated by the March 2005 Hampton Review and developed in the December 2006 Varney Report.
	The Government's aim is to preserve and strengthen the availability and accessibility of information and services through a smaller number of high quality websites focused around audiences, including Directgov and Businesslink. Sir David Varney's report has recommended that, by 2011, almost all business e-services should migrate to the Business Link web portal.
	The NetRegs website is already closely linked to the Business Link web portal and users are routed from that site to NetRegs for Environmental Advice. There is clear customer demand for the service NetRegs provides. By increasing the integration with Business Link it is expected that more users will take advantage of this resource. The Government continue to support the NetRegs service and have indeed allocated additional funding for its development in 2007-08.

Environment Protection: EC Law

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations he has made within the European Union on including measures to protect UK  (a) priority species and  (b) sites of special scientific interest in the Environmental Liability Directive; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: It is for individual member states to implement the directive as required, and to decide independently whether, or to what extent, they wish to exercise the discretion in article 2.3(c) to extend the scope of the directive to nationally-protected biodiversity.
	A public consultation on the options for implementing the directive in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is ongoing. The consultation sets out the Government's policy preference in this respect, and for other discretionary areas which the directive allows.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Higher Level Stewardship Scheme in  (a) mitigating climate change and  (b) conserving species; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The Higher Level Stewardship Scheme has only been in operation for about a year. Many of the outcomes it is seeking to deliver involve long term changes in land management practice, which is why agreements are drawn up to cover a period of 10 years. We are nevertheless planning an early review of progress, which will look at the effectiveness of measures already in place and seek information about how best to target new agreements. This will include doing more in respect of climate change mitigation and species conservation, taking account of evaluations and studies on these issues which we have already commissioned and which are due to report in the spring.

Floods

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the  (a) level of flood risk and  (b) adequacy of flood defences.

Ian Pearson: Flood risk is defined as the probability that flooding may occur, together with its consequences. The Environment Agency (EA) is the principal operating authority with responsibility for managing flood risk and undertakes annual National Assessments of Flood Risk. The agency's 2005 assessment identified 2.1 million properties in England at risk of flooding. The results from the 2006 assessment will be published shortly and are expected to be similar to those for 2005.
	Assessments of location-specific risk are carried out by the flood risk operating authorities, primarily the EA. Relevant activities, include the current review of Shoreline Management Plans around the coast, and the development of catchment flood management plans inland.
	The EA uses the National Flood and Coastal Defence Database to monitor the condition of its assets, with a quarterly review of progress. The frequency of individual asset inspection depends on the level of flood risk involved. Targets and standards for maintaining flood risk management infrastructure are set out in the EA's corporate plan, and outturn is recorded in its annual report. Both of these are available from the EA's website.

Food: Imports

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what checks his Department has made on imports of  (a) food,  (b) animals and  (c) foodstuffs into Wales from Hungary over the past six months.

Ben Bradshaw: It is the responsibility of the authorities in each EU member state to ensure that animals and products produced there meet EU requirements and are moved to other member states in accordance with rules set out in EU law. Food derived from animals must be accompanied by a commercial document when it is moved between member states, and live animals must be accompanied by an official health certificate issued by the authorities in the member state of origin.
	There are no routine checks on food of animal origin or live animals at the point of entry into another member state. Checks may be conducted on imported consignments at their destination. In general this will only be known for specific consignments in the case of live animals whose movement is recorded on an EU-wide computer system called TRACES, which is used to produce the health certificate. If, however, the authorities in any member state have information that a consignment of food of animal origin or of live animals does not meet Community requirements, they may carry out checks on that consignment at any stage in its movement and may take appropriate action if it is confirmed that it does not meet the necessary requirements.
	In the specific case of Hungary, the authorities there have implemented the measures required under EU law to prevent the movement of susceptible animals and food products from areas under restriction because of avian influenza, except where those movements are permitted under EU rules.
	The EU TRACES system indicates that two horses have entered the UK from Hungary in the last three months, neither of which went to Wales, although it should be noted that certain "registered" horses do not need to travel with a health certificate and therefore do not need to be recorded on the TRACES system. Data are not available on the system prior to that.

Inland Waterways: Freight

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what his estimate is of the amount of cargo carried by means of the inland waterways in each of the last 10 years; if he will estimate the difference in carbon emissions resulting from such carriage as compared to carriage by road; and if he will make a statement.

Barry Gardiner: The following table shows the internal freight traffic carried by vessels on all UK inland waterways between 1995 and 2005.
	
		
			  Internal freight traffic on UK inland waterways, 1995-2005 
			   Goods lifted (million tonnes)  Goods moved (million tonne-kilometres) 
			 1995 6.6 200 
			 1996 5.7 180 
			 1997 4.8 150 
			 1998 4.3 150 
			 1999 4.3 160 
			 2000 4.3 210 
			 2001 4.3 190 
			 2002 4.0 180 
			 2003 3.2 180 
			 2004 2.6 150 
			 2005 3.4 170 
		
	
	The 1994 report of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution noted that moving freight by water uses significantly less fossil fuel than other modes of transport and consequently results in lower emissions of carbon dioxide.
	However, because of the variety of types and ages of vessels on UK inland waterways, it is not possible to obtain a precise figure for emissions from all these vessels. Defra makes annual estimate(1) of carbon dioxide emissions from all domestic shipping in the UK, but does not make specific estimates of emissions from vessels on inland waterways.
	The Government wish to encourage the transfer of freight from the roads to waterborne transport where this is practical, economic and environmentally desirable.
	(1 )Available in the UK Greenhouse Gas Inventory under IPCC source category 1.A.3.d, "Navigation".

Nature Conservation: EC Law

Adam Price: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether populations of  (a) skylark,  (b) otters,  (c) red kite and  (d) blanket bog in upland areas have favourable condition status as defined by the EU habitats directive.

Barry Gardiner: Under the EC birds directive there is no requirement to report on the conservation status of birds. The skylark is a red list species of conservation concern in the UK as a result of its long-term population decline. The red kite is undergoing population recovery, having been reduced to near extinction in the UK as a result of human persecution.
	According to the definition within the EU habitats directive, the conservation status of a species will be considered as favourable when:
	i. the species concerned is maintaining itself on a long-term basis as a viable component of its natural habitat;
	ii. the natural range of the species is neither being reduced nor is likely to be reduced for the foreseeable future; and
	iii. there is a sufficiently large habitat to maintain its populations on a long-term basis.
	Applying the EC habitats directive reporting criteria, the initial overall conclusions for the otter is unfavourable (inadequate), and for blanket bog is unfavourable (bad).
	The Joint Nature Conservation Committee is currently co-ordinating a report for the Government on implementation of the EC habitats directive in the UK. This includes, for the first time, assessments on the conservation status of UK habitats and species listed in the annexes to the directive.

Nature Conservation: Finance

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when he expects to announce the final grants for conservation and woodland protection; and what discussions he has had with the National Trust on the matter.

Barry Gardiner: Grants for conservation and woodland protection will be offered under the Rural Development Programme for England 2007-13, through Environmental Stewardship and the English Woodland Grant Scheme.
	A significant proportion of the funding for the programme will come from voluntary modulation. The EU regulation governing voluntary modulation, which must be in place before we can finalise our budgets, is still under negotiation at EU level and is not expected to be adopted until the spring. We will not be able to announce the final amounts of funding available for the next programme until after this has been resolved. The details of our Rural Development Programme, including grant rates, will then be subject to approval by the EU Commission.
	A wide range of stakeholders, including the National Trust, have been consulted on the development of the new programme. The National Trust attended a meeting I held with stakeholders about the next programme on 9 November 2006.

Petrol Alternatives: Garages and Petrol Stations

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many refuelling and recharging stations received payments from the Energy Saving Trust's Refuelling and Recharging Infrastructure Grant Programme in each year of the programme; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what his latest estimate is of the percentage of transport fuels sourced from renewable sources in 2006-07; and what his most recent forecasts are for 2007-08 and 2008-09;
	(3)  what assessment his Department has made of the density and distribution of refuelling and recharging stations for renewable transport fuels that would be necessary to create a viable supply infrastructure;
	(4)  what steps his Department has taken to develop a refuelling and recharging infrastructure for renewable transport fuels; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Ladyman: I have been asked to reply.
	In the financial year 2006-07, the Department for Transport, via the Energy Saving Trust (EST), provided grants towards the installation of 11 refuelling pumps for high-blend ("E85") bioethanol fuel and 29 recharging points for electric vehicles under the Refuelling and Recharging Infrastructure Grant Programme. In the first year of the programme (2005-06), one grant was provided towards the cost of a natural gas refuelling point. Further details on the availability of renewable transport fuels across the UK are available via the EST website at http://www.est.org.uk/fleet/vehicles/
	The Government are due to introduce a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in April 2008. This will ensure a significant and stable market for renewable road transport fuels. The level of the RTFO will reach 5 per cent. in 2010-11, which should mean that by that date, some 2.5 billion litres of renewable transport fuels per annum will be sold in the UK. The Government are currently consulting on the detailed design of the RTFO and on how it might evolve over time. Copies of the consultation are available via http://www.dft.gov.uk/roads/rtfo and are available in the Libraries of the House.
	In the short to medium term, biofuels are likely to make up the great majority of renewable transport fuel sales in the UK. Biofuel sales made up some 0.5 per cent. of total transport fuel sales in 2006. Monthly and annual UK fuel sales data are available via the HM Revenue and Customs website at http://www.uktrade info.com/index.cfm?task=bullhydro Sales of biofuels in 2007-08 will depend on a variety of factors, including the relative prices of crude oil and biofuel feedstocks. As a result of the introduction of the RTFO, sales of biofuels in 2008-09 should reach some 2.5 per cent. of total transport fuel sales, rising to 3.75 per cent. in 2009-10 and 5 per cent. in 2010-11.
	Achieving these targets will not require any significant changes to the transport fuel supply and distribution infrastructure, since biofuels can already be blended at low levels into conventional fossil fuels with no adaptations to either the vehicle or the refuelling point.
	In the longer term, other renewable transport fuels (including renewably produced hydrogen or electricity) are also likely to become more widespread. Hydrogenpowered vehicles would require a dedicated refuelling infrastructure, the costs of which were considered in the Government's response to the 2004 report "A Strategic Framework for Hydrogen Energy in the UK", which is available in the Libraries of the House and at http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/sources/sustainable/hydrogen/strategic-framework/page26734. html

Pollution Control: Fees and Charges

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the basis is for charging for inspections under the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations regardless of whether an enterprise pollutes.

Ben Bradshaw: The integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive (96/61/EC)(1) is about preventing pollution, rather than reacting to it. Each installation subject to the directive must have a permit containing conditions which are set to achieve a high level of protection for the environment. Those conditions comprise pollutant emission limit values and other operating conditions.
	Member states are required by the directive to ensure that the conditions of the permit are complied with. To ensure that, and hence to ensure the environment is protected from pollution which might otherwise be caused, it is essential that each installation is inspected regularly.
	Inspections incur costs which have to be recovered through the charging system from each operator. The Environment Agency has developed a risk-based approach to determining inspection frequencies, under which compliant installations are visited less frequently than those with a history of non-compliance, and this is reflected in the charging scheme.
	(1 )Transposed by the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations (England and Wales) 2000.

Public Sector Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what the cash equivalent transfer value is of the public sector pensions of the 10 highest paid members of staff in his Department and its executive agencies; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he will answer question 113823, on public sector pensions, tabled on 5 January 2007 by the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Barry Gardiner: The total cash equivalent transfer value for pensions for seven of the 10 highest paid members of staff in Defra are disclosed in the 2005-06 Departmental Resource Accounts.
	One of these individuals is not a member of the civil service pension scheme arrangements and therefore there is no cash equivalent transfer value.
	I will write to the hon. Member with details of the cash equivalent transfer value of the pensions for the three other highest paid members of staff in Defra as soon as the information is available. A copy of this letter will be placed in the Library.

Sites of Special Scientific Interest: Oxford

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the exclusion of the  (a) Brasenose Wood and Shotover Hill,  (b) Iffley Meadows,  (c) Littlemore Railway Cutting,  (d) Lye Valley,  (e) Magdalen Quarry,  (f) New Marston Meadows and  (g) Rock Edge sites of Special Scientific Interest in Oxford, East from the application of the Environmental Liability Directive.

Barry Gardiner: The Environmental Liability Directive defines the species and natural habitats which fall within its scope. These are species and habitats protected under European legislation.
	The directive further provides for member states to decide whether or not to bring within its scope species and habitats that are not covered by the relevant EU legislation, but which are designated for equivalent protection under national legislation. The habitats and the species in Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) fall within this category. The consultation document on options for implementing the directive makes clear the Government's policy of not going beyond the minimum requirements of European directives unless there are exceptional circumstances justified by a cost benefit analysis and following extensive consultation with stakeholders.
	The regulatory impact assessment identifies relatively small net benefits from extending the scope of the directive to SSSIs. The Government's provisional view is that the existing range of targeted measures aimed at improving and maintaining the condition of SSSIs provides the best way forward.

Tsunami

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will introduce a tsunami watch around the edge of British estuaries associated with a history of tsunamis.

Ian Pearson: The probability of a serious tsunami impact on the UK is very low. The most plausible extreme projections suggest such waves would be very unlikely to overwhelm defences for major centres of development, which are designed to resist storm surges.
	A flood warning system is in place in areas most at risk, and emergency plans are regularly tested (most recently through the Environment Agency's Exercise Triton). The Met Office also has well-developed systems to warn local authorities and other key organisations of severe weather events.
	We have already commissioned research into appropriate enhancements to existing forecasting and warning systems to improve their ability to cope with a wider range of extreme events, including tsunami-type conditions. Because such events are very rare, it is important that the systems we develop can deal with to a wide range of other extreme scenarios, if they are to be kept fully operational and regularly tested.

Waste Disposal

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate he has made of the cost per tonne of each of the waste disposal recovery and recycling methods available to local authorities.

Ben Bradshaw: Waste disposal recovery and recycling costs, per tonne, were estimated as part of the analysis underpinning the partial Regulatory Impact Assessment for the Review of Waste Strategy Review 2000. The following table shows the assumed capital and gate fee costs (2003-04 base)(1).
	(1) Gates fees are based on discounted capital costs, operating costs and revenues net of residue landfill costs landfill tax. Capital costs are discounted over typical operating lives for each type of plant, and differ according to typology to reflect land costs.
	
		
			 Gate fees £/t (year) 
			   Plant scale kt/y  Capital cost  (£ million)  2003-04  2009-10 
			 CA Sites — 4.40 22.50 25.20 
			  
			 Materials reclamation facilities (MRF) 10 1.70 52.30 68.60 
			  40 4.60 31.60 41.40 
			  100 10.30 24.50 32.20 
			  
			 Dirty MRF 70 3.00 38.20 42.80 
			  150 6.00 34.20 38.40 
			  250 9.00 31.60 35.30 
			  
			 Green waste composting 10 1.40 43.80 41.40 
			  30 3.00 33.80 31.90 
			  50 4.50 20.70 29.40 
			  
			 Biowaste composting/digestion 20 6.00 68.70 76.90 
			  50 6.80 53.60 60.00 
			  150 24.00 48.00 53.80 
			  
			 Mechanical treatment/residue to EfW 50 29.90 73.30 113.80 
			  100 52.60 60.20 88.20 
			  200 86.80 49.40 67.50 
			  
			 MBT compost/RDF 50 53.00 106.60 181.50 
			  100 62.50 67.10 105.20 
			  200 79.50 52.20 66.20 
			  
			 MBT compost and residue landfill 50 13.50 66.80 74.80 
			  100 23.20 55.60 62.30 
			  200 35.20 46.60 52.20 
			  
			 EfW incineration 100 54.60 52.50 86.40 
			  200 88.20 45.70 64.90 
			  400 125.70 35.80 43.50 
			  
			 ACT Gasification/pyrolysis 30 21.10 127.90 127.90 
			  100 38.90 81.50 81.50 
			  150 54.60 70.00 70.00 
		
	
	These are average costs used to estimate costs at the national level. Exact costs will vary from authority to authority depending on various factors including housing density and availability of different types of plant.
	Updated figures will be available in the full Regulatory Impact Assessment to be published in the spring.

Waste Management: Private Finance Initiative

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criteria are applied when a local authority is considering a private finance initiative response to cope with landfill diversion.

Ben Bradshaw: The aim of the private finance initiative (PFI) criteria is to ensure that PFI credits are allotted to projects that offer value for money and contribute to the £11 billion(1) investment necessary to meet the demanding targets for landfill diversion. The criteria also ensure that projects will continue to meet requirements and provide long term continuous improvement.
	Following detailed consultation, Defra published revised criteria for waste PFI projects in May 2006.
	In addition, a new streamlined application process for waste PFI credits was announced on 9 February 2007 to encourage partnership working, including joint working with neighbouring authorities, and regional or multi-area partnerships. Eligibility will be based, in part, on compliance with the already published waste PFI criteria, and partly on additional criteria, to be published in May this year. The additional criteria will focus on scale, deliverability, readiness as well as environmental objectives.
	(1)As outlined in the Landfill Directive and Waste Strategy 2000

Waste Management: Private Finance Initiative

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of municipal waste private finance initiatives in  (a) the last year and  (b) since 2000 have been awarded to projects (i) solely based on recycling, (ii) solely based on energy via waste and (iii) based on a mix of recycling and energy recovery.

Ben Bradshaw: It is rare for a waste private finance initiative (PFI) project to have just one technological solution or one waste processing facility. Essentially, PFI credits are awarded to authorities to deliver increased diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. Once they have analysed sufficiently the technical, environmental and economic options, an authority can choose to deliver this diversion by adopting a range of waste management technological solutions.
	All waste PFI projects have a recycling element included. However, none of the projects have been funded solely on the basis of undertaking recycling. A project eligible for PFI credits needs to demonstrate how it will complement longer term national targets for recycling.
	Some of the waste PFI projects specifically exclude energy from waste (EfW) as a waste processing option.
	The following table provides data on the waste PFI credits awarded to projects in the last year and since 2000.
	
		
			  Project scope  In the last year  PFI credits  (£ million)  Since 2000  PFI credits  (£ million) 
			 Solely on recycling None — None — 
			  
			 Solely on energy from waste None — None — 
			  
			 Mixture of recycling and energy from waste(2) Cheshire(1) 40.00 Greater Manchester(1) 100.00 
			  — — Shropshire(1) 35.80 
			  — — Cornwall(1) 45.00 
			  — — Central Berkshire(1,3) 37.00 
			  — — East Sussex, Brighton and Hove(1) 49.00 
			  — — Northumberland(1) 40.80 
			  — — Nottinghamshire(1) 38.31 
			  — — Surrey(1) 85.50 
			 (1)These projects are scoped in such a way as to treat a proportion (waste stream) of the total waste arisings in an EfW facility. The remaining proportion(s) are treated in other waste management facilities using different types of waste processing technology. For instance, the Cheshire project will treat a proportion of its total waste in an EfW facility, and a proportion in a mechanical biological treatment facility. (2) Data are provided for projects based on a mix of recycling and energy from waste (3) Central Berkshire comprises the councils Reading, Bracknell Forest and Wokingham.

Waste Management: Private Finance Initiative

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average contract length is for a private finance initiative funded energy from waste plant; and whether a minimum tonnage of waste is usually guaranteed across this period.

Ben Bradshaw: The average contract length of a private finance initiative (PFI) project, which has an energy from waste facility as one of several waste management technology solutions, is approximately 25 years. PFI credits are awarded to authorities primarily to deliver increased diversion of biodegradable municipal waste from landfill. Most PFI projects use a combination of waste processing technologies rather than a single technology. Typically, energy from waste, as a waste processing option, is used in combination with other waste processing technologies.
	A minimum tonnage of waste throughput is usually guaranteed throughout the contract period as funders, typically banks, would otherwise expose themselves to unconstrained waste volume risk over the term of the contract. Very recently, we have become aware that certain waste management companies with access to waste arising have been prepared to underwrite a block of plant capacity, thereby opening up the possibility of shorter contracts for smaller volumes.

Whales

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Government plan to take  (a) to reduce and  (b) to bring to an end (i) commercial and (ii) scientific whaling.

Ben Bradshaw: The UK will continue to protest at the highest diplomatic level against Norway and Iceland's commercial whaling activities which, though legal, are not in keeping with the spirit of the International Whaling Commission (IWC). We will continue our efforts, along with other countries, to urge these countries to reconsider their position and end this unjustified and unnecessary practice. Indeed, in November 2006, the UK led a diplomatic demarche of 25 countries together with the European Commission in condemning the Icelandic Government's decision to resume commercial whaling.
	The UK Government have regularly criticised Japanese and Icelandic scientific whaling programmes as being of little scientific value and urged both countries to terminate them forthwith. In December last year, the British ambassador to Japan took part in a 27-country demarche to both the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Japanese Fisheries Agency to protest against Japan's programme of lethal special permit ("scientific") whaling in the Southern Ocean.
	In order to help recruit more conservation-minded countries to the IWC, we have produced a new publication, "Protecting Whales—A Global Responsibility", endorsed by the Prime Minister and by Sir David Attenborough, which has been sent to 57 countries, both anti and pro-whaling, encouraging them to join the effort to protect all cetacean species.
	DEFRA officials ensure that Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts in the relevant capitals are briefed, and engage in discussion with their counterparts on whaling at every appropriate opportunity. This ensures that countries are in no doubt of the importance that the UK attaches to whale conservation. This is particularly important as we approach the next IWC meeting to be held in Anchorage, Alaska in May.

Whales: Iceland

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what action his Department is taking with the International Whaling Commission to stop the commercial farming of threatened fin whales in Icelandic waters; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: In the immediate wake of Iceland's announcement to target fin whales, DEFRA issued a press statement condemning the action and summoned the Icelandic ambassador in London to explain the decision. On 1 November 2006, the UK ambassador to Reykjavik led a diplomatic démarche of 25 countries (including Australia, Germany and the US) together with the European Commission, which called upon the Government of Iceland to reconsider its decision to resume commercial whaling, arguing that the action was unjustified and unnecessary.
	It is clear that the strength of opposition to Iceland's actions has surprised the Icelandic Government, and there is a healthy debate in the Icelandic press about the wisdom of the Government's decision. Icelandic companies engaged in significant trade with the UK and other EU countries have suggested that the potential gains from commercial whaling are minimal, compared to the damage that might be done to Icelandic trade in other goods and services.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Opium

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made to the Afghan Government on ground level spraying of the poppy crop in Afghanistan.

Kim Howells: Opium poppy eradication policy and implementation is the responsibility of the Afghan Government. The Afghan Government has decided not to use ground based spraying on opium poppy crops this year, but will keep the option open for the future. We support well-explained pilots of ground based spraying, targeted in areas of Afghanistan where the security situation permits, and where there is good access to legal livelihoods for farmers. We have explained to the Afghans that we are keen to test the efficiency of ground based spraying over manual and mechanical eradication methods, as well as testing the impact on the local population in stable areas of the country. However, it was always crucial that the Government of Afghanistan came to its own decision on this matter.

Bangkok: Airports

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with her Thai counterpart on runway safety at Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport.

Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member the answer I have given today (UIN 123086).

Basil Mutel Shiblaq

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she plans to make representations to the Indian Government asking for the immediate release of Basil Mutel Shiblaq.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to do so. However, our high commission in New Delhi raised Mr. Shiblaq's case with the Indian Government on 25 January and has asked for assurances that Mr. Shiblaq's extradition will be dealt with according to the procedures set out in the Indian Extradition Act.

British Nationality: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens were convicted of committing crimes abroad in 2005-06; and how many are imprisoned abroad.

Kim Howells: As of 31 December 2006, British consular officials were aware of 2,348 British nationals detained overseas. This figure includes those serving custodial sentences. We do not maintain statistics of the number of convictions of British nationals overseas, not all of which would result in custodial sentences. Information on British nationals receiving consular assistance overseas, including those convicted or serving custodial sentences is held on individual case files. It would incur disproportionate cost to undertake the necessary research.

British Nationality: Convictions

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are imprisoned while awaiting trial abroad.

Kim Howells: On 31 December 2006, British consular officials were aware of 2,348 British nationals detained overseas. This figure includes those awaiting trial, but we do not maintain separate statistics of the numbers of British nationals awaiting trial, as opposed to serving custodial sentences. Information on British nationals in prison overseas is held on individual case files. It would incur disproportionate cost to undertake the necessary research.

British Overseas Territories: Powers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers were transferred to overseas territories in each of the last two years; and what further transfers are under discussion.

Geoff Hoon: On 9 August 2006, a new constitution for the Turks and Caicos Islands came into force. This transferred the following powers to the territory:
	the local House of Assembly may increase the number of elected members of the House and increase the number of Ministers proportionately;
	the Premier may nominate one extra nominated member of the House of Assembly;
	responsibility for international financial services other than regulation transferred from the Governor to local Ministers;
	a new Advisory National Security Council may consider and make non-binding recommendations to the Governor on external affairs, defence, internal security, the regulation of international financial services and the exercise of emergency powers (matters which remain the Governor's special responsibility); the local Cabinet may do the same;
	an enlarged Public Service Commission and a new Judicial Service Commission may give advice to the Governor on public service and judicial appointments respectively, which would be binding unless the Governor were instructed otherwise by the Secretary of State; and
	the Governor must appoint the Cabinet Secretary on the advice of the Premier and the Governor must consult the Premier before appointing anyone to the office of Attorney-General.
	On 2 January 2007, a new constitution for Gibraltar came into force. This transferred to local Ministers executive responsibility for all matters other than those expressly reserved to the Governor, namely external affairs, defence, internal security including the police and certain public service matters. It also established a Public Service Commission, a Specified Appointments Commission and a Judicial Service Commission, each having executive powers subject only to an exceptional power of veto by the Governor. It also established an independent police authority for Gibraltar, with power for the local legislature to prescribe its functions; the police authority has power to advise the Governor on the appointment of the commissioner of police, subject to an exceptional power of veto by the Governor. As regards locally enacted legislation, the new constitution limits the circumstances in which the Governor may not assent to bills and removes the power of the Secretary of State to disallow laws.
	No other new overseas territory constitutions have come into force during the last two years. Constitutional reform negotiations are currently in train with the British Virgin Islands, Montserrat and the Cayman Islands, but these are confidential to the parties at this stage.

Burma

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations she has made to her counterparts within the Association of South East Asian Nations on human rights in Burma.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Burma with the Indonesian Foreign Minister at the UK-Indonesia Partnership Forum meeting in London on 31 January.
	On 18 September 2006, I raised the situation in Burma with Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) ambassadors, including the Burmese ambassador, and again on 4 December 2006 with the ASEAN Secretary-General.
	I have also raised the situation in Burma with the Governments of Thailand, China, India, Japan and South Korea.

Diplomatic Immunity: Crime

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people with diplomatic immunity residing within the United Kingdom were arrested last year; for what offence in each case; and how many of those arrested have subsequently been convicted of the crime.

Geoff Hoon: The Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964 confers immunity from criminal jurisdiction on diplomatic staff and their families, and prevents the arrest of persons with immunity. However, the Act also allows for the sending state to waive that immunity. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced, in a written ministerial statement on 12 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 70-71WS, that she was placing a list of foreign missions whose diplomats had allegedly committed serious offences, along with the type of offence, to cover the years 1999-2004 in the Library of the House. A further written ministerial statement by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 28 November 2006,  Official Report, column 91WS, announced that a list to cover 2005 would be placed in the Library of the House. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, in her statement of 12 July 2006, undertook to provide the information for 2006 by the end of June 2007. At that time, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will be able to provide information on the numbers of waivers of immunity granted in 2006 allowing an alleged offence to be fully investigated and, if there is justification, the outcome determined by the UK courts.

Entry Clearances: Students

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many student visas were granted to medical students of  (a) European economic area (EEA) nationality and  (b) non-EEA nationality in each of the last five years.

Kim Howells: As the information requested by the hon. Member is lengthy I have arranged for it to be placed in the Library of the House. I will also send a copy to the hon. Member.

Eritrea: Ethiopia

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she is making on the resolution of border disputes between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Ian McCartney: We welcome the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 1741 on 30 January. In support of this we continue to urge both parties to implement the Boundary Commission's decision and to demarcate their common frontier. We continue to press Eritrea to lift its restrictions on the UN Mission to Ethiopia and Eritrea to allow it to fulfil its mandate. We believe that a resolution of the border dispute will benefit both countries and the wider region, including economically.
	Our ambassador in Addis Ababa and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Africa Director discussed the border dispute with the Acting Special Representative to the Secretary-General of the UN on 12 February. The UK also plays an active role in discussions with EU partners and in the UN Security Council.

Fiji: Elections

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has held with her counterparts in  (a) Australia and  (b) New Zealand on elections in Fiji; and what action she is taking to encourage the restoration of democracy.

Ian McCartney: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the Fiji military coup with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on 19 December at the 2006 Australia/UK Ministerial Meeting. We continue to discuss the situation in Fiji with our high commissions in Suva, Canberra and Wellington, our EU partners and the Governments of Australia, New Zealand and the US.
	On 20 February, Interim Prime Minister and Military Commander Bainimarama announced details of a roadmap for the restoration of parliamentary democracy in Fiji. Following this announcement we will have further discussions with the Australian and New Zealand Governments.
	We continue to call for a rapid return to democracy in Fiji. In efforts to encourage this we have adopted a range of measures including suspending military co-operation with Fiji. We have urged the EU to adopt similar measures.

Germany: Free Trade

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions she has had with the German Chancellor on proposals for a transatlantic free trade zone.

Geoff Hoon: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met with the German Chancellor on 13 February in Berlin. Discussions covered a wide range of issues, including the EU-US relationship.
	The Doha Development Agenda (DDA) remains our top trade priority, but we welcome German proposals to tackle non-tariff barriers between the EU and US, which are not part of the DDA negotiations. We remain a strong supporter of promoting EU-US economic co-operation and integration in this sense and are keen to see progress under the German presidency. Deepening economic co-operation between the EU and the US will not only bring the benefits of helping to remove remaining barriers to trade and investment but also serve as a positive step towards a more flexible and efficient global economy.
	We will continue discussions with the Commission, our EU partners and the US in the run-up to the EU-US summit on 30 April 2007.

Indonesia: Military Equipment

Robert Walter: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the Government's policy are on the export from the UK of equipment to Indonesia for use by police, civil and military authorities for internal security purposes.

Kim Howells: All export licence applications, to all destinations including Indonesia, are considered on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Export Licensing Criteria, taking into account intended end use, prevailing circumstances and other announced policies of the Government at the time of application. The criteria include consideration of the security situation in the country of final destination under criterion 2 ('human rights and fundamental freedoms') and criterion 3 (the 'internal situation'). If an application is considered to be inconsistent with the criteria, a licence will not be issued.

Iran: Politics and Government

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there are any programmes in place aimed at encouraging liberal democracy in Iran.

Kim Howells: Encouraging respect for human rights and political freedoms is a key element of our approach towards Iran. We do not take sides in Iran's internal political debates—these are for Iranians themselves to resolve—but seek to promote the internationally recognised principles to which many Iranians aspire including freedom of speech and transparent, genuinely democratic and accountable government.
	In line with long-standing EU policy, we are committed to supporting political reform. We continue to support the development of governmental and non-governmental organisations where opportunities arise. We do not publicise the details without the consent of our Iranian partners. The EU has allocated around £4.4 million to projects in Iran under the European Initiative for Democracy and Human Rights. Three projects, to which the EU has allocated a total of £2.9 million, are implemented by United Nations agencies. A further £1 million project was launched in January 2005. We are encouraging the EU to allocate more resources to support political reform under the EU's new financial perspective (2007-13).

Iraq: Police

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether tenders for police training and mentoring in Iraq require employees to be covered by UK employment law in relation to  (a) redundancy and  (b) other issues.

Kim Howells: There is no express stipulation in the original tender for police training and mentoring in Iraq requiring the application of UK employment law.

Israel: Armed Forces

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has given assurances to the Israeli Government that members of the Israeli Defence Force will not be subject to arrest in the UK.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has given no such assurances.

Israel: Frontiers

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether she has made representations to the Israeli Government on the building of the separation wall next to the Hope Flowers School, Bethlehem.

Kim Howells: We have not raised this specific case with the Israeli Government. We are concerned about the ongoing construction of the barrier and the effect it has on the Palestinian population. We fully recognise Israel's right to self-defence, but the barrier's route should be moved so that it is on or behind the green line, and not on occupied territory. Construction of the barrier on Palestinian land is illegal. I raised our concerns about the routing of the barrier with the Israeli ambassador on 19 February.

Lebanon: Peacekeeping Operations

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has she made of the effectiveness of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon in stopping the rearmament of Hezbollah.

Kim Howells: In his letter of 1 December 2006 to the President of the Security Council, the then UN Secretary-General reported that while the UN continued to receive reports of illegal arms smuggling across the Lebanese-Syrian border, they had not been able to verify these reports. We remain concerned by these reports.
	The UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been successful in large parts of its mandate, especially in helping the Lebanese armed forces extend in to the south of Lebanon and in tightening sea and air borders. UNIFIL's mandate means it is limited in what it can do on the land border between Syria and Lebanon without an explicit Lebanese request. So far there has been no such request from the Lebanese and the responsibility for controlling the Syria/Lebanon land border remains with the relevant national authorities.

Maldives

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she has made on ensuring free and fair  (a) Presidential and  (b) Parliamentary elections in the Maldives; what international observers she expects to be present at the next elections; and if she will make a statement.

Ian McCartney: Presidential elections are expected in 2008 and Parliamentary elections in 2010. These will be important elections as they should be the first held under a multiparty system. At this early stage, we do not yet have any information on whether or how international partners will observe them.
	It is essential that the Maldives accelerate the pace of reform to match the timetable set out by the President last year in his Road Map for Reform. All political groups in the Maldives need to engage in dialogue to move towards a consensus on constitutional change. On that basis, we welcome reports that the Dhivehi Rayyithunge Party, which forms the current Maldivian government, and the main opposition, Maldivian Democratic Party, are now in consultations and preparing for discussions on constitutional and legislative change. The Government have in discussions with Maldivian Ministers and through our High Commission in Colombo (also accredited to Maldives) encouraged and hosted dialogue between the two political parties.

Maldives

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the freedom of the press in the Maldives.

Kim Howells: Freedom of expression remains fragile in the Maldives despite some progress made since the announcement of multi-party reforms in 2004. Overly proscriptive legal measures including defamation and sedition laws are still used to intimidate journalists who criticise the Government. The Government have made their concerns clear to the Maldivian authorities. We have also offered practical assistance in the form of training courses for journalists to raise journalistic standards of both reporting and conduct.

North Korea: BBC External Services

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions she has had on the level of BBC World Service broadcasting to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.

Ian McCartney: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office holds regular meetings with the BBC World Service to discuss its strategic direction and priority markets. North Korea has been discussed in this context. The BBC World Service does not broadcast in Korean. Although its Short Wave English language broadcasts do "reach" North Korea, it is illegal for North Korean citizens to listen to any radio or TV broadcasts except from the state broadcaster. Penalties for citizens who do so are high. This means that options for reaching audiences are extremely limited and resources devoted to such broadcasting would have low impact.

North Korea: Nuclear Weapons

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of north Korea's willingness to denuclearise.

Ian McCartney: While it is too soon to assess the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) long-term intentions, the agreement reached at the latest round of Six Party Talks is a step in the right direction towards the peaceful denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula. It would clearly be in the DPRK's interest to implement the agreement, as well as comply with UN Security Council Resolution 1718 and resume its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The UK will continue to urge the DPRK to fulfil the commitments it has entered into.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) objectives and  (b) outcomes were of her recent visit to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary visited the region on 5-7 February to discuss developments in the Middle Eat Peace Process and to assess how to move the process forward. She discussed this with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert, Foreign Minister Livni, Defence Minister Peretz and Palestinian President Abbas. She raised a range of key issues with both parties including settlements, restrictions on movement and access in and between the West Bank and Gaza, and prospects for negotiations.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations she made to the Government of Israel on her recent visit to the region on  (a) the withholding of revenues from Palestinian Authority,  (b) the building of settlements in the West Bank,  (c) the construction and positioning of the Israeli separation barrier,  (d) movement restrictions on Palestinians and  (f) the ongoing detention of Palestinian parliamentarians and humanitarian workers; and what response she received from the Israeli Government.

Kim Howells: During my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's visit to the region she raised a number of key issues. She raised settlement activities and movement and access with Israeli Defence Minister Peretz and welcomed the release of US$100 million of tax revenues with Israeli Prime Minister Olmert. We continue to call for the remaining customs revenue to be released.
	We also remain concerned at the routing of the barrier. We fully recognise Israel's right to self-defence, but the barrier's route should be moved so that it is on or behind the green line and not on occupied territory. Construction of the barrier on Palestinian land is illegal. Our ambassador in Tel Aviv raised this with Israeli Foreign Minister Livni's office and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs legal advisers on 31 January.
	We support the call at the 22 January General Affairs and External Relations Council for the immediate release of Palestinian Ministers and legislators detained in Israel.

Occupied Territories

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the Mecca Agreement signed in Saudi Arabia on 8 February 2007 between Fatah and Hamas for UK foreign policy objectives; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: We welcome Saudi Arabia's efforts to broker an agreement in Mecca between Hamas and Fatah. We await the final details of the new government. My tight hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary have discussed recent developments with their Israeli, Palestinian, US and European counterparts. Following the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 12 February the EU reiterated that it stands ready to work with a legitimate Palestinian Government that adopts a platform reflecting the Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) principles.

Palestinian Authority

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect she expects the Mecca Agreement to have on  (a) UK and  (b) EU funding of the Palestinian Authority.

Kim Howells: We welcome Saudi Arabia's efforts to broker talks between Hamas and Fatah in Mecca. We await the final details of the new national unity government. As we have indicated before, we are ready to work with any Palestinian Government based on the Quartet (EU, US, UN and Russia) principles: renunciation of violence; recognition of Israel; and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations, including the Roadmap. Only then can financial and technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority resume. The UK and other donors continue to support the Palestinian people through the temporary international mechanism and other means. We will also continue to support Palestinian President Abbas' efforts to improve the safety, security and prosperity of the Palestinian people.

Ponsonby Rule

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will extend the Ponsonby Rule to apply to all international treaties; and if she will bring forward proposals for the referral by the House of all such treaties to the relevant select committee for scrutiny and report where appropriate.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 23 February 2007
	Most treaties that are signed by the Government and which are subject to ratification, accession, acceptance or approval, or the mutual notification of completion of procedures, are subject to the Ponsonby Rule. Such treaties must therefore be laid before both Houses as a published Command Paper for a minimum of 21 sitting days, and be accompanied by an explanatory memorandum, prior to ratification, accession, acceptance or approval. Only bilateral double taxation agreements, which are scheduled to the relevant Order in Council which implements the agreement, and treaties that enter into force on signature are exempt from this requirement. There are no plans to extend the Ponsonby Rule to such agreements.
	All treaties that are subject to the Ponsonby Rule are copied to the relevant departmental select committee when they are laid, in accordance with an undertaking given by the Government in response to a report by the Procedure Committee in October 2000. Additionally, all treaties that raise significant human rights issues are copied to the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

Syrian Arab Republic: Kamal al-Labwani

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the detention of Dr. Kamal al-Labwani by the Syrian government; what representations she has made to the Syrian government on this detention; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Dr. Kamal al-Labwani is being detained at the Adra criminal prison. He was arrested in October 2005 on his return from the United States. He is being tried under article 264 of the Syrian penal code, accused of inciting a foreign power to commit an aggressive act against Syria. He is also accused of spreading lies and false information against the state.
	Along with EU and other diplomatic missions, officials from our embassy in Damascus attend the court cases of Dr. al-Labwani. The EU has continued to make its concerns known to the Syrian authorities about human rights in Syria.

Syrian Arab Republic: Kamal al-Labwani

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports she has received of the conditions of detention of Dr. Kamal al-Labwani by the Syrian government.

Kim Howells: Dr. Kamal al-Labwani has been detained at the Adra criminal prison for more than a year. He was arrested in October 2005 on his return from a visit to the United States. He is being tried under article 264 of the Syrian penal code, accused of inciting a foreign power to commit an aggressive act against Syria. He is also accused of spreading lies and false information against the state.
	We have been unable to verify what conditions Dr. al-Labwani is being held under, but conditions in the prison are likely to be difficult. Officials from our embassy in Damascus continue to monitor Dr. al-Labwani's situation and attend court cases involving Dr. al-Labwani with their EU colleagues and other diplomatic missions.

Syrian Arab Republic: Kamal al-Labwani

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on which occasions she has discussed the detention of Dr. Kamal al-Labwani by the Syrian government with her counterparts in  (a) the United States and  (b) the European Union since his detention; what the outcome was of those discussions; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: I have not discussed the detention of Dr. Kamal al-Labwani with my counterparts in the US or EU, but my officials have done so with EU and US colleagues. Officials from our embassy in Damascus attend the court cases of Dr. al-Labwani with the EU and other diplomatic missions. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights in general with the Syrian government.

Thailand: Sexual Offences

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens  (a) have been convicted and  (b) are being prosecuted for sex-related offences in (i) Thailand and (ii) Malaysia; and how many of these were from (A) Essex and (B) the London borough of Havering.

Kim Howells: Consular staff in Thailand have confirmed that they are aware of two British nationals in prison due to sex-related offences and another British national who has been charged with a sex-related offence. Consular staff in Malaysia are not aware of any British nationals either in prison or being prosecuted for sex-related offences in Malaysia.
	Under the Data Protection Act we are unable to divulge personal details, such as place of residence in the UK, of British nationals to whom we are providing consular assistance.

Treaties: Human Rights

David Heathcoat-Amory: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what articles of the EU treaties require membership of the European Court of Human Rights.

Geoff Hoon: holding answer 26 February 2007
	There is no requirement in the EU treaties for member states to accede to the European convention on human rights (ECHR). However, all EU member states are members of the Council of Europe and signatures of the ECHR. There is no provision in the treaty establishing the European Community which either requires or empowers the European Community to accede to the ECHR. Article 6 of the treaty on EU, which requires the EU to respect fundamental rights, refers to the ECHR as an instrument containing such rights, but does not require the EU as an organisation to accede to the ECHR.

Turkey: Armenia

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make representations to the Turkish authorities to encourage them to instigate an investigation into the actions taken against Armenians in 1915-16.

Geoff Hoon: We regularly discuss the issue concerned with the Turkish and Armenian authorities, including when the UK's Special Representative for the South Caucasus visited Turkey in January. We welcomed the Turkish Government's offer in 2005 of an impartial investigation by historians into the events of 1915-16. The Armenian Government suggested a commission to consider this and all other bilateral issues. Regrettably, there is no agreement between the parties thus far on how to take this forward.

Turkmenistan

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if she will make a statement on relations between the UK and Turkmenistan; and what assessment she has made of the internal stability of the country following the death of President Nyazov.

Geoff Hoon: We are encouraged that the succession of a new President of Turkmenistan happened peacefully without social unrest or disruption and note the emphasis of the new administration on sustaining unity in the country.
	We support the aims of the government programme to reform the education, health and agricultural sectors declared by the acting President during the pre-election campaign and confirmed in his inauguration speech. The UK stands ready, with EU colleagues and the international community, to assist the government of Turkmenistan in the implementation of democratic reforms and the development of civil society.

Turkmenistan

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations the Government has made on behalf of Turkmenistan human rights defenders.

Geoff Hoon: Our embassy in Ashgabat raised the cases of two human rights defenders, Mr. Zatoka and Mr Kyarisov, in January and, together with other EU embassies, took action again on behalf of Mr. Kyarisov in February. EU Special Representative Pierre Morel, on behalf of the EU, raised the cases of several human rights defenders, including Mr. Kyarisov, during his visit to Turkmenistan on 16 February.

Turkmenistan

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what representations the Government are making through EU and UN channels to strengthen Turkmenistan's respect for human rights;
	(2)  what plans she has to discuss respect for human rights in Turkmenistan with the new government of that country.

Geoff Hoon: We are working closely with our EU and international partners to offer co-ordinated support and assistance to the government of Turkmenistan in implementing democratic and human rights reforms.
	EU Special Representative Pierre Morel raised human rights during his discussions with President Berdymuhamedov on 15 February. The subject was also raised by Pierre Morel and EU ambassadors in a meeting with Foreign Minister Meredov on the same day.
	Both a visiting UN delegation and an Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe—Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights team have discussed democratic and electoral reform with the government over the recent election period.
	We will continue to raise human rights with the government bilaterally and multilaterally.

Turkmenistan

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the recent election in Turkmenistan.

Geoff Hoon: While there were shortcomings, the presidential election was a step forward in comparison with previous elections in Turkmenistan and we welcome the Government's request for international support to reform the electoral system for the future. The UN visited Turkmenistan during the presidential election period and discussed possible electoral reform with the Turkmen authorities. The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights team sent a technical assistance team for the election and also discussed future electoral reform with the government.

Venezuela: Nationalisation

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect on British interests and investment in Venezuela on the nationalisation of telecommunication, energy and mining industries.

Geoff Hoon: We continue to engage with British companies with interests in Venezuela to assess the effect of the recently announced nationalisation plans in these sectors. We also use our ongoing dialogue with the Government of Venezuela to discuss this issue with them. The extent of reform plans in Venezuela and the longer-term consequences are not yet clear. We will therefore keep the issue under review, continuing to consult British companies and the Venezuelan government to inform our assessment.

Whales

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with  (a) (i) Ministers and (ii) officials in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and  (b) Cabinet colleagues about whaling in the last 12 months; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with representatives from other governments on whaling since the last meeting of the International Whaling Commission; and when she next plans to discuss whaling with her foreign counterparts;
	(3)  when she next plans to discuss the international moratorium on whaling with  (a) her Japanese counterpart and  (b) representatives from the government of (i) Antigua and Barbuda, (ii) Benin, (iii) Cambodia, (iv) Cameroon, (v) Cote d'Ivoire, (vi) Denmark and (v) Dominica.

Margaret Beckett: I have only had such discussions and in my previous post as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. I have no current plans in this regard.
	The departmental lead on this subject lies with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Officials from DEFRA and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) are in daily contact regarding whaling and work in tandem to lobby governments and to publicise the need for whale conservation.
	Since the last International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting the FCO has lobbied the governments of seven countries to join the IWC, two of which have expressed the intention of joining and voting with the UK.
	The UK led the international condemnation of Iceland's decision to resume commercial whaling. On 1 November 2006, our Ambassador in Reykjavik led a multinational demarche of 25 countries plus the European Commission, making clear the extreme disappointment felt by those parties at Iceland's decision and urging Iceland to abandon its current operations.
	On 31 January 2007 DEFRA and the FCO launched the brochure "Protecting Whales: A Global Responsibility". This brochure is being sent to various 'target' countries with a letter jointly signed by myself and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
	The FCO has begun the annual round of bilateral lobbying in the run-up to the IWC meeting in Anchorage this May.

SCOTLAND

Trident

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on the siting in Scotland of facilities related to the Trident weapon system.

Douglas Alexander: I have had recent discussions with the Scottish First Minister on a range of subjects.

Carbon Capture and Storage Technology

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the Chancellor to discuss funding for carbon capture plants in Scotland.

Douglas Alexander: I have regular meetings with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues.

Post Office Network

Charles Kennedy: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the future of the post office network in Scotland.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend and I have regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on a range of issues.

Caledonian MacBrayne

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he made representations to Scottish Executive Ministers prior to the recent CalMac tendering process.

Douglas Alexander: I regularly meet Scottish Executive Ministers to discuss a wide range of issues. The tendering of ferry services within Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Executive.

Labour Statistics

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of recent changes in employment levels in Scotland relative to changes in EU member states.

Douglas Alexander: Scotland continues to benefit from the strong macro-economic stability that this Government have delivered enabling the Scottish labour market to reach new record highs for employment and economic activity. Scotland has one of the highest employment rates out of all EU member states.

Ferry Services

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the European Commission on the effects of European maritime cabotage regulations on Scottish ferry services.

David Cairns: Ferry services within Scotland are a matter for the Scottish Executive who, along with the Department for Transport, have made strong representations to the European Commission on a range of matters related to ferry services over a number of years.

UK Borders Bill

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive on clause 45 of the UK Borders Bill; and if he will make a statement.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with UK and Scottish ministerial colleagues about the application of UK Bills in Scotland.
	Every provision in the UK Borders Bill that relates to the reserved matter of immigration will extend to Scotland just as they do to the other parts of the United Kingdom.

Immigration and Border Security

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet the Home Secretary to discuss immigration and border security.

David Cairns: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I regularly discuss a wide range of matters with Home Office ministerial colleagues.

Energy

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on energy issues in Scotland.

Douglas Alexander: I have regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues including energy.

Departments: Theft

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what items valued at above £100 were reported as stolen from his Department's buildings or premises in the last 12 months.

David Cairns: Between 1 February 2006 and 31 January 2007, there were no reports of any items being stolen.

Devolution

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent devolution issues the Advocate-General has considered.

David Cairns: Since 22 January 2007, 83 devolution issues have been intimated to the Advocate-General Of these 83 devolution issues, 59 related to civil proceedings and 24 related to criminal proceedings.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits System

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has for simplifying the benefits system for people with disabilities.

Anne McGuire: For people with health problems and disabilities we will be introducing the new employment and support allowance which will be a single benefit combining earnings replacement and the income related elements.
	This approach will make the system easier to understand for claimants and smooth the administration of the new benefit.

Departments: Pendle

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what expenditure is planned to be carried out in Pendle by his Department in the years up to 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Anne McGuire: The information requested is not available. The Department does not plan or budget its expenditure to this level of detail.
	The Department's spending beyond 2007-08 will be planned and allocated as part of the comprehensive spending review process, which will conclude later this year.

Departments: Theft

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what items valued at above £100 were reported as stolen from his Department's buildings or premises in the last 12 months.

Anne McGuire: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Financial Assistance Scheme

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what criteria were taken into account in deciding to use cash costs as a measure of the cost of extending the financial assistance scheme over 50 years.

James Purnell: holding answer 18 December 2006
	We present the costs of the financial assistance scheme in both net present value terms and in cash terms as is normal accounting practice used in the departmental resource accounts.

Incapacity Benefit

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of  (a) fraud and  (b) error in incapacity benefit payments in each year since 1997.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	It is important to note that changes were made to the identification of error in 2004-05. This led to the inclusion of types of official error, valued at an estimated £20 million, which were not previously captured by the sampling.
	
		
			  Cost of fraud and error in incapacity benefit 
			  April to March each year  Fraud  Customer error  Official error  Total 
			  2000-01 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.9 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 30 60 
			  
			  2001-02 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 0.5 0.9 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 30 60 
			  
			  2002-03 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 0.6 1.0 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 40 70 
			  
			  2003-04 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 0.8 1.2 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 50 80 
			  
			  2004-05 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 1.5 1.9 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 100 120 
			  
			  2005-06 
			 Percentage of benefit overpaid 0.1 0.2 1.3 1.7 
			 Overpaid (£ million) 10 20 90 110 
			  Notes: 1. Fraud and error in incapacity benefit is not measured every year. The last full review was in 2000-01. As there has been no measurement in other years, it is assumed that the percentage level of fraud and customer error have remained constant. All of the fraud and customer error estimates are calculated by applying the percentage overpaid in 2000-01 to the annual expenditure on incapacity benefit. 2. Official error in incapacity benefit has been measured in every year since 2000-01. 3. The official error estimates for 2004-05 and 2005-06 differ from those published in the relevant departmental resource accounts, as up to date estimates were not available at the time. 4. As the measurement system is based on the examination of a sample of the incapacity benefit case load, the estimates are subject to a degree of statistical uncertainty. For example, the central estimate of official error in 2005-06 is £90 million, but the range in which we can be 95 per cent. sure that the true value lies runs from £70 million to £120 million.

Incapacity Benefit

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the average cost per customer was of a personal capability assessment in the most recent year for which figures are available, including any subsequent costs involved in assessing continuing entitlement to incapacity benefit.

Anne McGuire: Information about the cost of medical examinations for incapacity benefits is confidential and cannot be disclosed as to do so may prejudice the commercial interests of the Department and/or its suppliers.
	Information about the costs of the specific part of the incapacity benefit administration process requested is not available.

Job Numbers: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobs there were in City of York parliamentary constituency in each year since 1992.

Jim Murphy: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Jobs in the City of York parliamentary constituency 
			   Number of jobs( 1) 
			 1995 61,843 
			 1996 62,512 
			 1997 67,586 
			 1998 67,400 
			 1999 65,300 
			 2000 64,700 
			 2001 69,700 
			 2002 69,100 
			 2003 70,000 
			 2004 69,000 
			 (1) Figures for all years are confirmed apart from 2003 for which only an approximate figure is available.  Notes: 1. Information is not available at parliamentary constituency level before 1995. 2. Latest available information is to December 2004. 3. Information is not available for self-employed jobs.  Sources: Office for National Statistics Annual Business Inquiry Employee Analysis

Jobseekers Allowance: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed jobseeker's allowance in  (a) Hornsey and Wood Green constituency and  (b) each London borough in each of the last five years.

James Plaskitt: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Number of jobseeker's allowance claimants as at January each year from 2003 to 2007 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Hornsey and Wood Green constituency 3,012 2,924 2,778 3,013 2,837 
			   
			  London borough  
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,127 3,484 3,653 3,960 3,813 
			 Barnet 5,697 5,631 5,158 5,520 5,001 
			 Bexley 2,744 2,939 2,783 3,099 2,936 
			 Brent 8,282 8,241 7,961 7,721 7,620 
			 Bromley 3,827 3,932 3,760 4,096 3,496 
			 Camden 6,012 5,920 5,424 5,587 4,903 
			 City of London 100 109 79 86 76 
			 Croydon 6,418 6,182 5,777 6,480 6,024 
			 Ealing 6,283 6,050 5,657 5,977 5,989 
			 Enfield 5,715 6,067 5,903 6,576 6,451 
			 Greenwich 5,979 6,049 5,848 6,096 5,590 
			 Hackney 8,307 8,159 7,588 7,944 7,823 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4,736 4,596 3,948 3,957 3,934 
			 Haringey 7,775 7,673 7,473 8,521 7,948 
			 Harrow 2,940 3,169 2,969 3,095 3,006 
			 Havering 2,503 2,431 2,346 2,643 2,632 
			 Hillingdon 3,222 3,677 3,502 3,778 3,540 
			 Hounslow 3,352 3,273 3,019 3,544 3,379 
			 Islington 6,397 6,433 6,020 6,326 5,658 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 3,087 2,991 2,560 2,739 2,509 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 1,699 1,659 1,621 1,496 1,310 
			 Lambeth 10,810 10,495 9,861 9,718 8,853 
			 Lewisham 8,280 8,048 7,586 7,715 7,078 
			 Merton 3,016 3,022 2,930 3,187 2,863 
			 Newham 7,793 7,242 6,933 7,997 7,975 
			 Redbridge 4,065 4,043 4,025 4,496 4,569 
			 Richmond-upon-Thames 2,000 1,974 1,655 1,661 1,481 
			 Southwark 9,666 9,658 8,986 8,750 7,875 
			 Sutton 1,948 1,938 2,097 2,362 2,075 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,233 8,464 7,661 8,022 8,394 
			 Waltham Forest 6,079 6,075 6,169 6,277 6,439 
			 Wandsworth 5,699 5,503 5,264 5,396 4,779 
			 Westminster, City of 4,612 4,322 3,877 4,225 3,785 
			  Notes: 1. Figures have not been rounded. 2. Figures include clerically held cases.  Source: 100 per cent. count of claimants of unemployment-related benefits, Jobcentre PlusComputerSystems

Means-tested Benefits: Council Housing

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the means-testing of council house tenants.

James Plaskitt: Information about the effect of means-testing is contained in regular data publications such as the Tax Benefit Model Tables, Households Above Average income and the Pensioners Income Series. The impact of means-testing is considered when developing new policies.
	Estimates of take-up of local authority tenants for housing benefit and council tax benefit are published in Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-up, which is available in the Library.

New Deal

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many young people have been helped into work by the New Deal programme; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: Up to the end of May 2006, 693,830 young people had been helped into work through the new deal for young people programme.

Overpaid Benefits

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the amount of  (a) pension credit,  (b) housing benefit,  (c) income support,  (d) jobseeker's allowance,  (e) incapacity benefit,  (f) council tax benefit and  (g) state pension overpaid to deceased claimants in the most recent year for which figures are available.

James Plaskitt: Overpayments to deceased claimants arise in two main situations. Firstly when notification of death is received too late to stop an automated payment being made into the deceased's account. This category accounts for approximately 98 per cent. of overpayments arising after the death of a claimant. Secondly when a claimant dies, and it becomes apparent from probate records that the information provided in the original claim was inaccurate.
	The available details of the amount overpaid during the year 2005 to 2006 for the specified benefits is in the table. Information is not available for housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	
		
			  Overpayments arising or identified after death, also expressed as a percentage of benefit expenditure for the benefits specified 2005 to 2006 
			   £ million  Percentage 
			 Pension credit 8.1 0.12 
			 Income support 13.2 0.14 
			 Jobseeker's allowance 0.1 0.004 
			 Incapacity benefit 1.6 0.02 
			 State pension 34.4 0.07 
			 Total 57.4 0.075 
		
	
	From the autumn of 2007, notifications of death will be received on a daily basis from the Office of National Statistics, as opposed to the current weekly basis. This will assist in enabling a prompt cessation of payment following death.

Parliamentary Questions

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer question 107345, tabled by the hon. Member for Bishop Auckland on 29 November 2006.

Jim Murphy: I replied to my hon. Friend's question on 8 January 2007,  Official Report, column 208W.

Public Finance Contracts

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what  (a) public private partnerships and  (b) private finance initiative contracts have been entered into by his Department; what assets were transferred to the private sector as part of each deal; what the value of these assets was; what the total cost is of each contract; and what estimate was made of the cost to his Department of traditional procurement over the life of each contract.

Jim Murphy: The Department has a single private finance initiative contract entered into in 1998 with Land Securities Trillium (LST) for the supply of serviced accommodation. This contract, known as the Private Sector Resource Initiative for the Management of Estate (PRIME), was expanded in 2003 to include the former Employment Service estate.
	Assets valued £455 million have been transferred as part on the contract. Only 28 per cent. of the estate was freehold and could be classed as an asset. The remaining 72 per cent. was leasehold. A list of the buildings transferred was placed in the Library with PQ 33250 in December 2005.
	The forecast cost for between 1998 and 2018 is £11.5 billion including rates and utilities.
	The NAO report of 1998-99 estimated that this contract cost 22 per cent. less than continued public sector ownership and management of the estate.

State Retirement Pensions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the cost of raising the basic state pension, in real terms using 2006-07 prices, to  (a) £90 in 2010,  (b) £100 in 2015,  (c) £105 in 2020,  (d) £110 in 2025 and  (e) £115 in 2030 for new claimants only; and if he will make a statement.

James Purnell: holding answer 19 February 2007
	Under our reforms, more people will be receiving state pensions based on their national insurance records, and there will be a more generous basic state pension due to the restoration of the earnings link. This provides a solid foundation for private saving. The guarantee credit will continue to provide a safety net and reforms to the savings credit will reduce the spread of means-testing and support the savings incentives that are an integral part of the reform package.
	Raising the level of the basic state pension as specified would lead to a series of cliff-edges in the weekly amounts being received by different retirement cohorts in the same year. An individual who retires in 2009 with full entitlement would receive around £84 (in 2007-08 earnings terms) of weekly basic pension income. In 2012, when earnings-uprating commences, this amount of basic pension would be worth around £82 per week. This individual would then receive this amount each year of their retirement. However, another individual retiring in 2015 would receive £100 in weekly basic pension income—almost £20 more per week than an individual retiring six years earlier. This disparity would continue to grow until 2030, when new retirees would receive £115 per week.
	The following table contains the cost of raising the basic state pension as specified in the hon. Member's question. These costs are additional to the costs of pension reform set out in the regulatory impact assessment accompanying the Pensions Bill. No further policy changes have been assumed.
	
		
			  Additional costs to pension reform of increasing the basic state pension as specified, net of income-related benefit savings 
			   £ billion (2006-07 prices) 
			 2010 0.1 
			 2011 0.3 
			 2012 0.6 
			 2013 1.0 
			 2014 1.3 
			 2015 1.8 
			 2016 2.4 
			 2017 3.0 
			 2018 3.6 
			 2019 4.3 
			 2020 5.2 
			 2030 20.4 
			 2040 42.7 
			 2050 61.0 
			  Notes: 1. Estimates of additional expenditure are consistent with the policy detail set out in the regulatory impact assessment accompanying the Pensions Bill. Net costs include savings seen from reduced expenditure on other income-related benefits (pension credit, housing benefit and council tax benefit). They do not include any change in income tax revenue or national insurance. 2. The costs of raising the basic state pension as described are additional to the costs of pension reform set out in the regulatory impact assessment. They assume the basic state pension is uprated by earnings from 2012, and is set at the levels specified in the question for new retirees only. That is, an individual would retire with a given level of basic state pension, and maintain that level (in earnings terms) throughout their retirement. They would not benefit from the higher rates in later years as specified in the question. 3. Net costs assume the pension credit standard minimum guarantee is uprated by earnings from 2008, and the savings credit maximum is uprated by earnings from 2008 and then by prices from 2015. 4. Costs or savings presented in the table are based on long-term projections of United Kingdom benefit spend, consistent with the pre-Budget report 2006. 5. Figures exclude the effect of personal accounts.

State Retirement Pensions: Carers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment his Department has made of the merits of extending the carer's credit to cover all carers who provide 20 or more hours or care per week.

Anne McGuire: Provisions in the Pensions Bill will allow for the introduction of a new carer's credit, which allow people reaching state pension age after April 2010 to build up entitlement to both the basic state pension and the state second pension. It is intended for those who provide care for at least 20 hours a week and as a result are prevented from building up state pension entitlement through work.
	The simplest and least intrusive way of establishing eligibility to the carer's credit is by reference to the benefits awarded to people receiving care. Under our proposals the carer's credit would be available to people providing care for one or more persons awarded the middle or highest rate of disability living allowance care component, attendance allowance, or constant attendance allowance for at least 20 hours a week. People with these benefits are most likely to require at least 20 hours personal care a week.
	We are continuing to explore whether there are other practicable ways of identifying people who are providing at least 20 hours care a week.

State Retirement Pensions: Personal Records

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what led to the sending of the personal pension details of 26,000 people to incorrect recipients; what assessment he has made of the extent to which the mistake was the result of  (a) human and  (b) computer error; and what steps he is taking to prevent similar mistakes in the future.

James Purnell: This mistake was the result of human error. A machine was configured wrongly, resulting in two letters being placed in an envelope instead of one. This was not the result of computer system failure. The checking processes did not pick up the error.
	The processes, including quality control processes, have been examined and enhanced to prevent this happening again. The volume of existing checks has also been increased to help provide further assurance.

Sunbeds

Si�n James: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will update leaflet INDG209 to include warnings about the use of unstaffed tanning salons.

Anne McGuire: The Health and Safety Executive and Department of Health have agreed to update leaflet INDG209, Controlling Health Risks from the use of UV tanning equipment, and this will include consideration of warnings about the use of unstaffed tanning salons.

Welfare Reform

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of the funds set aside for welfare reform will be spent on  (a) the five broad activity strands within Pathways to Work,  (b) the provision of information technology for the administration of benefits and  (c) other items; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Murphy: holding answer 30 November 2006
	The Department has identified the sum of 360 million to invest in our Welfare Reform Green Paper proposals over the remainder of the current spending review period. This will be spent primarily on extending our successful Pathways to Work programme nationwide by 2008 and setting up, and implementing, the IT system required to deliver the new employment and support allowance. The latter is subject to parliamentary approval of spend under section 82 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.

Welfare Strategy

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which of the areas involved in the city strategy for welfare reform include representatives of local private and voluntary sector providers on the board or management team of their consortium.

Jim Murphy: City strategy pathfinder business plans are currently at the draft stage and many areas are still in the process of finalising proposals for their formal management structure and membership. All areas will need to set out in their business plans an appropriate mechanism for consulting with and reflecting the contribution of the private and voluntary sector, though in line with the bottom-up approach of the strategy they are not required to do this in a particular way. The robustness of each area's proposals for engaging the private and voluntary sector will form an important part of the assessment of business plans.

Wheels to Work Projects

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what action he is taking in conjunction with other Government Departments and agencies to sustain Wheels to Work projects for young people without access to personal transport.

Jim Murphy: Accessibility to jobs and training opportunities is an important factor for all our customers, including young people. To ensure that suitable transport projects are sustained and accessibility issues are addressed, we are re-issuing guidance to Jobcentre Plus districts. This will encourage them to work with local partners including transport authorities, Connexions and the Learning and Skills Council. The guidance will contain good practice case studies including examples of successful Wheels to Work schemes which we support because they represent the best way of meeting our customers' needs.

Written Questions: Administrative Delays

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects to answer question 108016, tabled on 5 December 2006 by the hon. Member for Portsmouth South.

Anne McGuire: I replied to the hon. Member's question on 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 368W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum and Immigration

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many rulings made by the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal involving female asylum seekers who claim they have been raped in their own countries were refused on appeal in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: The Asylum and Immigration Tribunal (AIT) does not record statistics regarding the volume of appeals brought by female appellants where there have been allegations of rape and which are subsequently dismissed. The information requested cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate costs through the examination of individual appeal files.

Asylum and Immigration

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers have been subject to an age assessment since 1 January 2006.

Liam Byrne: Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) does not hold information on how many asylum seekers have been subject to an age assessment. The data could be obtained only at disproportionate cost by examination of individual case records.

Asylum: Children

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases have been considered by his Department under the one-off exercise concerning asylum seekers with children which was announced on 24 October 2003; how many people have been given indefinite leave to remain under the scheme; how many cases have been rejected; and how many cases have yet to be determined.

Liam Byrne: Information on the family ILR exercise is published quarterly and annually. Copies are available from the Library of the House and on the Home Office Research Development and Statistics website at
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html
	The next set of quarterly statistics will be published on 27 February 2007.

Asylum: Iraq

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi nationals applied for asylum in the UK in each year since 2000; how many  (a) were granted asylum or leave to remain in the UK,  (b) left the UK voluntarily and  (c) were deported in each year; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: Information on asylum applications, initial decisions and appeals by nationality are published quarterly and annually. Copies of these publications are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Community Policing

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safer neighbourhood teams are fully operational in  (a) England and Wales and  (b) Avon and Somerset.

Vernon Coaker: At the end of August 2006, there were approximately 2,600 neighbourhood policing teams (also known as safer neighbourhoods teams in some areas) in England and Wales, delivering dedicated neighbourhood policing to around 6,700 neighbourhoods. There are currently 31 dedicated neighbourhood policing teams in Avon and Somerset.
	Statistical information detailing how many of these teams are fully operational is not collected centrally by the Home Office. However, the police service across England and Wales and in Avon and Somerset specifically is making excellent progress towards the target of introducing neighbourhood policing to every community by April 2007, and ensuring that there is a neighbourhood policing team in every area by April 2008.

Community Policing

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance his Department has given to chief constables on the deployment of safer neighbourhood teams between midnight and 6 am.

Vernon Coaker: The Home Office does not provide any guidance on the deployment of safer neighbourhood teams, also known as neighbourhood policing teams, between the hours of midnight and 6 am. the availability and working hours of all neighbourhood policing teams is an operational decision for the chief constable in each area, as informed by the needs and priorities of the local community.

Community Support Officers: Manpower

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects to increase the number of police community support officers to 24,000.

Vernon Coaker: The police service is making excellent progress towards the implementation of neighbourhood policing throughout England and Wales by 2008. In support of this, we will provide continuing funding towards the provision of 16,000 PCSOs in 2007-08. We will not expect forces to increase the number of PCSOs beyond this, although they may of course choose to do so according to local circumstances and need.
	The police service has advised that the sustainable rollout of neighbourhood policing by 2008 may not require 24,000 PCSOs, so we are giving local forces the flexibility they have asked for to determine the most appropriate staffing mix in their neighbourhood teams.

Community Support Officers: North Yorkshire

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community support officers were recruited in North Yorkshire in each of the last three years; and how many he expects to be recruited in 2007-08.

Vernon Coaker: The available data for police community support officer (PCSO) recruits for 2003-04 to 2005-06 are in the table.
	North Yorkshire police has an overall strength target of 183 PCSOs for April 2007 and in support of this will receive funding totalling 2.4 million in 2006-07, increasing to 3.2 million in 2007-08. It is a matter for the Chief Constable and the Police Authority to take decisions on the number of PCSOs and other staff that the force should recruit in 2007-08.
	
		
			  Police community support officer recruits( 1)  and total strength (FTE)( 2)  from 2003-04 to 2005-06( 3) 
			   Recruits  Strength 
			 2003-04 (4)n/a 52 
			 2004-05 32 75 
			 2005-06 2 71 
			 (1) Recruits include those officers joining as Police Standard Direct Recruits and those who were previously Special Constables. This excludes police community support officers on transfers from other forces and those rejoining. Data have not been previously published in this format, published data are for all joiners. (2) Full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sum of constituent items. (3) Financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March inclusive. (4) Data are not available for recruits in 2003-04. Data for overall strength have therefore been included.

Consultants

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which firms of external consultants have been retained by his Department since 6 May 2005; for what purpose they were retained; and what the total cost of retaining them has been to date.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 24 January 2007
	To identify those external consultancy firms which have been continuously retained since 6 May 2005 would incur disproportionate costs as management information systems do not allow effective cross referencing across the various parts of the Home Office group and its agencies. This could only be done manually.

Crime

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) burglaries,  (b) acts of violence against the person,  (c) sexual offences,  (d) vehicle crimes,  (e) property crimes and  (f) acts of vandalism there were in communities of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: Recorded crime statistics are collated for crime and disorder reduction partnerships (generally equivalent to local authorities), basic command units and police force area. Figures for offences in communities of fewer than 10,000 inhabitants are not centrally collected by the Home Office.

Crime: Young People

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences were committed by young people in each of the last 10 years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform showing the number of persons aged 10 to 20 convicted or cautioned for an offence for the years 1996-2005, are provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Number of persons found guilty or cautioned for all offences, England and Wales, 1996-2005( 1, 2) 
			   Aged 10 to 17  Aged 18 to 20 
			 1996 187,740 197,480 
			 1997 183,671 202,871 
			 1998 196,231 214,856 
			 1999 194,258 210,028 
			 2000 188,964 201,939 
			 2001 193,572 195,096 
			 2002 181,135 196,878 
			 2003 184,474 201,860 
			 2004 201,198 193,815 
			 2005 214,979 187,741 
			 (1 )Principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Custody Plus Scheme

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects funding to be available to implement Custody Plus.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 22 February 2007
	No decision has been taken about a date for the implementation of custody plus.

Dale Miller

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Dale Miller was the one of the prisoners identified by the Association of Chief Police Officers as a priority in dealing with the backlog of files of British convictions abroad.

John Reid: It would be inappropriate to comment on individual cases.

Departmental Annual Report

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of providing each measure referred to in the first bullet point under Action During 2005-06 on page 65 of his Department's 2006 annual report; and which consultants were used to develop the information.

Liam Byrne: The total cost of meeting this commitment for 2005-06 was 44,500 excluding internal staff costs. Cost details of the separate measures referred to cannot be given separately due to commercial confidentiality. Much of the work was done in-house.

Departmental Staff

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed through employment agencies in  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in each of the last five years for which information is available; and what the (i) average and (ii) longest time was for which these temporary workers were employed in each year.

Liam Byrne: Information on staff employed through employment agencies is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Studies

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which studies have been commissioned by his Department from  (a) external agencies,  (b) companies,  (c) academics and  (d) individuals in 2006.

Liam Byrne: The available information covers research studies. My Department undertakes a wide range of external research studies that support the development of information-led policy, including scientific and social research. Research is commissioned externally usually through competitive tendering exercises and is subject to contract. The following table lists the title of all the external research contracts let in 2006 from agencies, companies, academics and individuals.
	
		
			  Research contracts let by the Home Office in 2006 from (a) agencies( 1) , (b) companies, (c) academics and (d) individuals 
			  Research topic  Name of contract  Contractor 
			  Research contracts commissioned by companies   
			 Crime and Community Safety Car Theft Index 2005 and 2006 TRL 
			
			 NOMS Action Research on Implementation of London Resettlement Strategy PA Consulting 
			
			 Crime and Community Safety Nature Extent and Economic Impact of Fraud Morgan Harris Burrows 
			 Crime and Community Safety Neighbourhood PolicingMethodological Dev Study G3 
			
			 Communities Drivers of Perceptions of Race Discrimination (Lot 1) Ethnos Research and Consultancy 
			
			 Immigration Evaluation of Sunrise Matrix Research and Consultancy 
			
			 Immigration VARRP 2004 Extn, and 2005, 2006 Ascension Consulting 
			
			 Crime and Community Safety Neighbourhood Policing Case Study Ipsos MORI 
			
			 Criminal Justice Perceptions and Understanding of the Confidence Questions Contained in the BCS BMRB 
			
			 CRCSG School Drugs Survey (2005 Survey) NatCen 
			
			 Communications National survey of Volunteering and Charitable Giving 2006 NatCen 
			
			 Crime and Community Safety Evaluation of the Prolific and Other Priority Offenders (PPOs) StrategyOffender Interviews PRCI Ltd. 
			
			 NOMS SAGEM NatCen 
			
			 Prisons Competence Assessment Project  
			
			 Prisons Independent Review of Job Evaluation System  
			
			 Prisons Impact Analysis for Movement to Pay and Grading System  
			
			 Prisons Review of Fitness Testing  
			
			  Research contracts commissioned from academics   
			 Crime and Community Safety A field test of Hotspotting UCL (Jill Dando Inst) 
			
			 NOMS REA of Female Offenders University of Bristol 
			
			 Crime and Community Safety Measuring Patterns of Car Crime UCL (Jill Dando Inst) 
			
			 NOMS REA of Mentoring Research Cambridge University Technical Services Ltd. 
			 Crime and Community Safety ALSPAC (New Work) University of Bristol 
			
			 NOMS A Systematic Review of the Evidence of Interventions with Juvenile Offenders Institute of Education, University of London 
			
			 NOMS Exploring the Impact of Multi-Agency Public Protection Panels (MAPPA) De Montfort University 
			
			 Prison Service ESF Audit Review  
			
			 Prison Service ESF Grant Evaluation  
			
			 Prison Service Study into Suicides in Prison  
			
			 Prison Service MQPL Assurance and m-management research  
			
			  Research contracts commissioned from individuals   
			 Immigration Drug Treatment Outcomes Research SAG Tim Weaver 
			
			 Immigration Drug Treatment Outcomes Research SAG John Marsden 
			
			 Immigration Drug Treatment Outcomes Research SAG Roy Robertson 
			
			 Immigration Drug Treatment Outcomes Research SAG Duncan Raistrick 
			
			 Drugs PDU SAG Ludwig Kraus 
			
			 Drugs PDU SAG Filip Smit 
			
			 NOMS Evidence of age at which males and female reach emotional maturity Darrck Jolliffe 
			
			 NOMS Revision of Report Crime Reduction Programme: Community Service Pathfinders Reconviction Study Caroline Friendship 
			
			 NOMS Dev. of Offender feedback questionnaire Helen Powell 
			
			 Immigration Making Migration Work for Britain Catherine Nassyrov 
			 (1) There were no contracts commissioned from agencies.

Deportation: Appeals

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of appeals by asylum seekers against deportation were decided by  (a) him and  (b) officials in the latest period for which figures are available; and whether an independent review of tribunal decisions is considered when making such decisions.

Liam Byrne: Appeals lodged by asylum seekers are decided by immigration judges at the Asylum And Immigration Tribunal, and not by the Secretary of State for the Home Department or his officials. Quarterly asylum figures, including information about appeals, are available on the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration1.html.

Deportation: Democratic Republic of Congo

Chris Mullin: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions he has made for the safe reception of the families and children due to be removed by charter flight to the Democratic Republic of Congo in the week beginning 26 February; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 26 February 2007
	All removals are carried out in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol (Refugee Convention), the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and in line with international human rights law.
	The Home Office do not routinely monitor the treatment of individuals once they are removed from the UK. However, if specific allegations are made that any returnee, to any country, has experienced ill-treatment on return from the UK, then these are followed up through the FCO and the high commission in the returned country as a matter of urgency.

Domestic Violence

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of domestic violence were reported to the police in each of the last five years; and how many of those resulted in a conviction for an offence.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 21 February 2007
	Data on the number of domestic violence incidents are given in Table one. These data are British Crime Survey (BCS) estimates for the number of incidents occurring which are derived from interviews taking place within the given financial years. These data are published annually in the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Crime in England and Wales (data as at 2005-06), and can be downloaded from:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/hosb1206.pdf
	Data on the number of convictions for domestic violence cases are given in Table two. These data are held by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), and data are available from 2005.
	
		
			  Table 1: Estimated number of domestic violence incidents( 1)  against men and women, from 2001-02 to 2005-06( 2) 
			   Domestic incidents (Thousand) 
			 2001-02 635 
			 2002-03 501 
			 2003-04 446 
			 2004-05 401 
			 2005-06 357 
			 (1) British crime survey (BCS) violence includes common assault, wounding, robbery and snatch theft. (2) Financial year runs from 1 April to 31 March inclusive, figures relate to estimates derived from BCS interviews taking place in financial years.

EU Citizens: Entry Refusal

Tony Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU citizens with a criminal record have been refused entry to the UK in the last five years.

Liam Byrne: In accordance with the EEA regulations an EU national can only be refused admission to the UK and removed on grounds of public policy, public security or public health. An individual's criminal record will be given full consideration and it may contribute to a decision to exclude them from the UK but previous criminal convictions in themselves do not constitute grounds for taking such measures.
	Regrettably, we are unable to provide the statistical information sought as the cost to IND would be disproportionate. To provide this information we would be required to check through every individual's file for details of the reasons for their exclusion.

Identity Cards

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of identity cards which will be issued in the first  (a) five and  (b) 10 years of the scheme.

Joan Ryan: The volume of identity cards to be issued in the first years of the national identity scheme will be dependent on what documents become designated documents under Section four of the Identity Cards Act 2006, the level of voluntary demand for cards and the timing of any further primary legislation for compulsory registration. The Government have made clear that it intends to designate British passports issued to adults in the United Kingdom. As an indication of likely annual volumes, the estimate of the number of new or renewed passports issued to adults is 4,179,000 in 2009-10 and 4,220,000 in 2010-11.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many staff are employed by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to process legacy cases;
	(2)  what procedures he has put in place at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to track progress on outstanding legacy cases;
	(3)  how many legacy cases being considered by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have  (a) a deportation appeal and  (b) an asylum appeal outstanding;
	(4)  how many legacy cases under consideration by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate have been outstanding for more than  (a) one,  (b) three and  (c) five years;
	(5)  how many legacy cases being considered by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate concern people  (a) whose whereabouts are unknown and  (b) who have left the country;
	(6)  how many legacy cases were outstanding at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1 January 2007.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 1 February 2007
	The Director General for Immigration and Nationality provided the Home Affairs Committee with an update on the Legacy Programme on 19 February 2007.

Immigration Removal Centres

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people escaped from immigration removal centres in the UK in the last 12 months; at which centres these escapes occurred; and how many of these escapees have been returned to the immigration authorities.

Liam Byrne: There have been 12 escapes from immigration removal centres in the UK in the last 12 months; one from Dungavel and 11 from Oakington. Records of the number of escapees who have been returned to the immigration authorities are not collated centrally.

Intelligence Services: EC Action

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the establishment of a EC co-ordination centre for security services; what the legal basis is for the entity; from what budget its funds are drawn; what its budget is for 2007-08; who attends on behalf of the United Kingdom; and what grading of classified material is exchanged.

Joan Ryan: The activities of the Security Services remain the exclusive competence of member states. There is no EC co-ordination centre. However, the EU Joint Situation Centre (SitCen) does prepare assessments for member states, based on information from member states in order to inform European policy and decision making.

James Dawute

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police investigation into the actions of James Dawute while at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has concluded.

Liam Byrne: The police criminal investigation is on-going.

Local Child Curfew Schemes: Suffolk

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child curfew orders were breached in Suffolk in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Quality checks have shown that the data are unsuitable for publication. Statistics on breaches can therefore only be published when significant improvements have been made to the submissions of these data to the Home Office.

Offenders: Republic of Ireland

Stephen Pound: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Irish nationals convicted of a custodial sentence in England and Wales have  (a) applied for,  (b) been granted and  (c) successfully completed relocation to Ireland as a result of arrangements under (i) the Transfer of Sentenced Prisoners Convention, (ii) the early release scheme, (iii) the facilitated removal scheme and (iv) other arrangements in the last 10 months.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Since 1 May 2006, 15 Irish nationals have applied for repatriation to Ireland to continue serving their sentence there in accordance with the provisions of the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons. Their applications are being considered. During the same period, two prisoners who had submitted earlier applications for transfer, had those applications approved; a further 15 prisoners were transferred to prisons in Ireland.
	The number of Irish nationals removed from the United Kingdom under the early removal scheme is not separately recorded.
	Irish nationals are not eligible to apply for assistance under the facilitated return scheme. This scheme applies only to nationals of countries outside the European economic area.

Parliamentary Questions

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will answer Question 113074, on Lincoln Prison, tabled on 18 December 2006 by the hon. Member for Yeovil.

Gerry Sutcliffe: I replied to the hon. Member on 12 February 2007,  Official Report, column 117W.

Passports

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are undertaken  (a) to check the validity of and  (b) to prevent fraudulent use of passports apparently issued in (i) Poland, (ii) Slovakia, (iii) Lithuania, (iv) Latvia and (v) Estonia; and how many such passports have been (A) found to be invalid and (B) fraudulently or incorrectly used since EU enlargement.

Liam Byrne: The lead role in protecting the United Kingdom from the use of invalid or fraudulent travel documentation, including Polish, Slovakian, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian passports, is taken by the National Document Fraud Unit (NDFU) of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND). The NDFU provides IND with equipment, information and comprehensive training in document checking in order to provide IND staff with the relevant knowledge and skills to identify document fraud.
	The NDFU also represents the United Kingdom at the EU Frontiers/False Documents Working Party, which is attended by the five states in the question. The group facilitates the rapid transfer of intelligence regarding specific instances of travel document related crime, lost and stolen passports, and for conducting bilateral passport validity checks.
	Statistics are only compiled under the general heading of detection of instances of travel document fraud. The following tables show that between enlargement on 1 May 2004 and October 2006 the following fraudulent Polish, Slovakian, Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian passports were detected at United Kingdom ports of entry and Enforcement and Compliance offices:
	
		
			  Ports of entry 
			   Number 
			 Poland 302 
			 Slovakia 122 
			 Lithuania 943 
			 Latvia 124 
			 Estonia 21 
			 Total 1,512 
		
	
	
		
			  Enforcement and compliance offices 
			   Number 
			 Poland 42 
			 Slovakia 7 
			 Lithuania 215 
			 Latvia 36 
			 Estonia 9 
			 Total 309

Passports

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) met its target to roll out the facial recognition system to all IPS regional fraud intelligence units by the end of 2006; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: Yes, the facial recognition system was successfully rolled out to IPS fraud intelligence units by the end of 2006. The system has proven a highly useful tool in detecting fraud. IPS is now considering how such a system can be best deployed within the passport issuance process.

Passports

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the first interviews to be held under the Identity and Passport Service's proposed Authentication by Interview scheme.

John Reid: As explained in the Strategic Action Plan for the National Identity Scheme published on 19 December 2006, the requirement to attend an interview will be introduced gradually, starting with small-scale interviews in a limited number of interview offices from April 2007, with IPS progressively adding further offices through to the end of 2007.

Police Custody

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many prisoners in England and Wales were held overnight in  (a) police station,  (b) court and  (c) other non-Prison Service cells on each Sunday/Monday in (i) November and December 2006 and (ii) January and February 2007;
	(2)  how many spare places for  (a) convicted and  (b) remand prisoners there were in Category (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C and (iv) D prisons in England and Wales on each Monday in November and December 2006 and January and February 2007.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Categorisation of prisoners takes into account a number of factors, one of which is security. A prisoner must be assigned to the correct security category even if it may not be possible to allocate the prisoner to a particular establishment for prisoners in that category. Therefore, as prison places can hold a variety of category of prisoner (but not a higher category than the prison is designated to hold), it is not possible to calculate the number of vacant prison places for each category.
	The numbers of people held in police cells on a daily basis is available for use as management Notion only. Prison portion figures are population was 79,537, including 57 held in Police Cells as part of operation safeguard.

Police Custody

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were housed in police cells during the recent activation of Operation Safeguard; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Between 12 October and 22 December 2006, Operation Safeguard was used on 4,617 occasions. This does not correspond precisely to the number of prisoners: one occasion means one prisoner night in a police cell.
	Operation Safeguard was reactivated on 22 January 2007. It was previously implemented on 12 October 2006 and formally ended on 22 December.

Police Custody

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been held in accommodation provided by each police authority in England and Wales under Operation Safeguard since June 2006; how many such nights' accommodation was provided by each police authority; and what the average cost of providing accommodation was per prisoner per night in each police authority.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Operation Safeguard was reactivated on 22 January 2007. It was previously implemented on 12 October 2006 and formally ended on 22 December.
	Between 12 October and 22 December 2006 Operation Safeguard was used on 4,617 occasions. This does not correspond precisely to the number of prisoners: one occasion means one prisoner night in a police cell.
	The average cost per police authority is not available: costs can be submitted up to 90 days in arrears. The average estimated national cost is 385 per night.

Police Custody: West Midlands

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held in police cells in the West Midlands police force area over the last six months for which figures are available; and in which police stations.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 19 February 2007
	West Midlands Police have made places available under Operation Safeguard at Steelhouse Lane police station.
	The numbers of people held in police cells on a daily basis are held as management information only.

Prison Accommodation: Shipping

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the prison ship accommodation will be available for use; where such accommodation will be located; how many prisoners, and of what category, such accommodation will hold; and what the total cost of purchasing and fitting out each of the ships is.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Home Office is currently engaged with bidders on a shortlist to assess their proposals for ships including when each proposed ship might be available for use and, the capacity, costs and potential use for each ship.
	The proposed location of any ship has not yet been determined.

Prison Service

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to question 115499, on what dates he discussed the level of funding for learning and skills courses for offenders  (a) in custody and  (b) in the community with the Department for Education and Skills.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Inter-Ministerial Reducing Re-offending Group, jointly chaired by Baroness Scotland and Phil Hope discusses cross-government issues relating to reducing re-offending.

Prison Service: Pay

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  under what circumstances a Prison Service manager would qualify for receipt of required hours addition allowance; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will investigate the payment of required hours addition allowance to non-operational grades within the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Under the Prison Service phase 1 managerial pay structure introduced in 2000, governors can pay a required hours addition (RHA) to managerial jobs in paybands E, F or G where the role requires unpredictable and unsocial working hours and meets the policy criteria.
	The Prison Service is currently carrying out a review of all posts that may attract payment of RHA. The review will consider whether a post meets the established criteria and therefore continues to attract this allowance in line with the aforementioned criteria.

Prisoners: Learning Disability

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of prisoners have learning difficulties.

Phil Hope: I have been asked to reply.
	The information requested is not available centrally. However, a project undertaken by the Dyslexia Institute looked at evidence of the incidence of dyslexia and related learning disabilities among the prison population. The findings suggested that 20 per cent. of the prison population have some form of unseen (hidden) disability which will affect and undermine their performance in both education and work settings. A further 32 per cent. of the sample who were given an in-depth assessment had literacy difficulties but did not show positive evidence of the characteristics of dyslexia, dyspraxia or other unseen disabilities.

Prisons

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of prison places  (a) needed and  (b) available as of 7 February.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Daily prison population figures are available for use as management information only. Population figures are available on a weekly basis.
	On Friday 2 February the total prison population was 79,705 and the operational capacity of the prison estate was 80,734, including up to 400 places available under Operation Safeguard. On Friday 9 February 2007 the total prison population was 79,686 and the operational capacity of the prison estate was 80,769, including up to 400 places available under Operation Safeguard.

Prisons: Disabled

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he is making in the new prison building programme for the needs of disabled and elderly prisoners with particular reference to wheelchair access to cells.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The design briefs require all new prison buildings to comply with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act.

Prisons: Telephones

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what factors determine the price of phone calls charged to prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The cost of calls is subject to contractual agreement between the Home Office and British Telecommunications plc. The factors used are commercial in confidence to both parties.

Private Prisons

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what fines have been served on the companies operating private prisons since their opening; for what reasons; and whether any fines served on companies operating private prisons have been waived.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The financial deductions from the fees paid to the companies operating prisons are listed in the table.
	The deductions were made in respect of poor performance as measured in terms of the contractual performance management system. Escapes and doubling of cell occupation in excess of the permitted level are penalised separately.
	There are two instances of deductions being waived, either partially or in full. Altcourse prison incurred penalty points of 715,646 for Q 2 and 3 1998, but this was reduced to 195,000 as part of contractual refinancing in November 1999, when it was agreed the Prisons Service was owed 1,000,000 due to increased termination liabilities, less the total penalty due to be deducted (715,646).
	An escape occurred at Forest Bank in March 2005 for which a penalty was not raised on the grounds that the escape could not have been prevented unless the escorting staff put their own lives at risk.
	
		
			   
			   1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07( 1) 
			  GSL  
			 Altcourse 895,176.85 11,210
			 Rye Hill 60,000 18,352 164,963 58,907  
			 Wolds  3,608 35,568 19,877  
			   
			  Kalyx (UKDS)  
			 Forest Bank37,485  
			 Bronzefield  
			 Peterborough  
			   
			  SERCO  
			 Ashfield50,000 370,744 
			 Doncaster 30,000 
			 Dovegate  
			 Lowdham  
			 Grange 77,013 6,334 11,865 5,703 53,721 
			   
			  G4S  
			 Parc 671,191 197,836 4,694 59   11,961.39 85,000  
			 Total 1,643,380.85 218,988 52127.37 75639.22 514,465 18,352 176,924 181,392 0 
			 (1) To date.

Samantha Jackson

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to determine the application of Samantha Jackson (ref 410144101) for indefinite leave to remain in the UK.

Liam Byrne: The Immigration and Nationality Directorate wrote to my hon. Friend on 26 January 2007 explaining the details in this case.

Sandford House

Lorely Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps his Department has taken in the last two years to ensure that staff at Sandford House immigration reporting facility have sufficient training in the care and protection of children;
	(2)  how many children have been held at Sandford House immigration centre in Solihull in the past 12 months; and what the duration of their detention was in each case;
	(3)  what training is required of staff of his Department who work with children in reporting facilities; and what percentage of staff at Sandford House, Solihull, have completed such training;
	(4)  what action he has taken in response to the recent report on Sandford House, Solihull by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, with particular reference to  (a) the provision of training in, (i) anti-bullying and (ii) suicide prevention and  (b) enhanced Criminal Records Bureau checks in relation to custodial staff; and how many times the Minister for Immigration has visited Sandford House in the last 12 months.

Liam Byrne: IND contract Group Four Security (G4S) to staff the non-residential short term holding facility at Sandford House. The facility temporarily accommodates individuals who have been detained by IND either at the reporting centre or during operational visits until they are transferred to immigration removals centres.
	IND staff at Sandford House reporting centre do not have any direct contact with children. Children are not subject to regular reporting restrictions. The only children in the reporting centres are those accompanying their parents/guardians who are subject to reporting
	The Midlands Enforcement Unit is actively working with the Children's Board and other key stakeholders in the region to promote multi-agency training on specific issues such as recognising the signs of trafficking and promoting the safeguarding and welfare of children. G4S who staff the holding room have a child protection policy in place and specific instructions and process is available to all staff regarding children in their care. The contractor is considering what additional training should be provided to staff on this issue.
	Custody records are the responsibility of G4 S. Records for the last 12 months are hon. Member accordingly.
	In line with the protocol agreed with Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, I will respond formally to the report and its recommendations with an action plan within two months of publication March 2007. I have visited Sandford House twice in the last twelve months.

Security, Crime and Justice Working Group

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants in his Department will undertake work for the Policy Review Working Group on Security, Crime and Justice; and what the grades will be of each such civil servant.

Liam Byrne: The Security, Crime and Justice Policy Review is being contracted to officials from across the Department. Drawing on their existing knowledge, they are contributing to this review alongside their normal duties. It would therefore be misleading to give a figure for the number of people engaged, or their grades.

Sentences

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answers of 23 January 2007,  Official Report, columns 1706-8W, on sentences, what the average sentence was served by prisoners released in each of the last 10 years after serving sentences for each of the categories of crime set out in the answers.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Information on the average time served for all offences, by sentence length can be found in table 10.1 of the Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2005 copies of which can be found in the House of Commons Library. This information is also available at the following websites:
	 For 2005:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs07/hosb1806 section10.xls
	 For 2004:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs05/hosb1705 section10.xls
	 For 2003:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs04/hosb1504 section10.xls
	For the years before 2003 table 3.14 in Prison statistics England and Wales 2002 (CM 5996) gives average time served in prison under sentence by prisoners discharged on licence from 1993 to 2002. Copies of this publication can be found in the House of Commons Library.
	The data, which are obtained from the prison IT system, are not shown separately by offence because the accuracy of the prison discharge data is not reliable at this level.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system, and although shown to the last individual the figures may not be accurate to that level.
	
		
			  Table 10.1: average time served in prison by prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licenceadults: England and Wales 2003 
			Month   
			 Average time served  Percentage of time served 
			  Length of sentence( 1)  Number of persons discharged( 2,3)  Average length of sentence  Including remand time  Excluding remand time  Including remand time  Excluding remand time 
			  Adult male and female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 69,611 16.4 8.7 7.4 53 45 
			 Up to and including three months 17,255 2.0 1.0 0.8 48 38 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 19,532 4.8 2.2 1.8 46 36 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 5,917 8.6 3.9 3.0 45 35 
			 12 months 2,954 12.0 5.4 4.2 45 35 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 5,062 16.5 7.7 6.1 46 37 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 9,895 28.6 14.1 12.0 49 42 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,708 42.6 21.8 19.1 51 45 
			 Four years 1,547 48.0 28.1 25.0 58 52 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 1,948 57.4 34.3 30.2 60 53 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,471 85.7 52.3 46.0 61 54 
			 Over 10 years less than life 322 155.2 92.5 81.9 60 53 
			
			  Adult male   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 63,452 16.7 8.9 7.6 53 46 
			 Up to and including three months 15,195 2.0 1.0 0.8 49 38 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 17,947 4.8 2.2 1.8 46 36 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 5,366 8.6 4.0 3.1 46 35 
			 12 months 2,685 12.0 5.5 4.2 45 35 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 4,666 16.5 7.7 6.2 47 37 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 9,163 28.5 14.2 12.0 50 42 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,514 42.6 21.8 19.1 51 45 
			 Four years 1,454 48.0 28.2 25.1 59 52 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 1,822 57.4 34.5 30.3 60 53 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,340 85.7 52.7 46.3 62 54 
			 Over 10 years less than life 300 155.2 93.5 82.6 60 53 
			
			  Adult female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 6,159 13.4 6.4 5.5 48 41 
			 Up to and including three months 2,060 1.9 0.9 0.7 45 37 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 1,585 4.8 2.1 1.7 44 35 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 551 8.6 3.6 2.8 41 32 
			 12 months 269 12.0 5.3 4.1 44 34 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 396 16.7 7.1 5.7 43 34 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 732 29.0 13.4 11.4 46 39 
			 Over three years less than four years 194 42.8 21.1 18.5 49 43 
			 Four years 93 48.0 26.6 23.4 55 49 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 126 57.9 31.4 28.4 54 49 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 131 87.0 45.6 41.1 52 47 
			 Over 10 years less than life 22 154.3 78.8 71.4 51 46 
			 (1) On discharge: the sentence may change after reception if there are further charges or an appeal. (2) Excludes discharges following recall after release on licence, non-criminals, and persons committed to custody for non-payment of a fine. (3) Figures in this column have been revised since initial publication of this bulletin. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 10.1: average time served in prison by prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licenceadults: England and Wales 2004 
			Month   
			 Average time served  Percentage of sentence served 
			  Length of sentence( 1)  Number of persons discharged( 2,3)  Average length of sentence  Including remand time  Excluding remand time  Including remand time  Excluding remand time 
			  Adult male and female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 71,000 16.4 8.8 7.6 53 47 
			 Up to and including three months 18,100 2.0 0.9 0.8 47 39 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 19,900 4.8 2.2 1.8 46 37 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 6,200 8.6 3.9 3.1 46 36 
			 12 months 3,000 12.0 5.6 4.4 46 37 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 4,800 16.5 7.7 6.2 47 38 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 9,400 28.6 14.4 12.3 50 43 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,700 42.6 22.1 19.4 52 46 
			 Four years 1,600 48.0 28.5 25.4 59 53 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 2,300 57.3 34.0 30.7 59 54 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,600 85.1 51.1 45.5 60 54 
			 Over 10 years less than life 400 159.4 94.2 84.6 59 53 
			
			  Adult male   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 64,400 16.8 9.0 7.9 54 47 
			 Up to and including three months 15,900 2.0 0.9 0.8 48 39 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 18,200 4.8 2.2 1.8 46 38 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 5,500 8.6 4.0 3.1 46 36 
			 12 months 2,700 12.0 5.6 4.4 46 37 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 4,400 16.5 7.8 6.2 47 38 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 8,700 28.6 14.5 12.3 51 43 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,600 42.6 22.2 19.6 52 46 
			 Four years 1,600 48.0 28.6 25.5 60 53 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 2,200 57.2 34.2 30.8 60 54 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,400 85.2 51.7 46.0 61 54 
			 Over 10 years less than life 400 160.0 95.1 85.5 59 53 
			
			  Adult female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than life 6,700 12.6 6.1 5.2 48 41 
			 Up to and including three months 2,300 1.9 0.9 0.7 46 39 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 1,700 4.8 2.1 1.7 44 37 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 700 8.6 3.7 2.9 43 34 
			 12 months 300 12.0 5.3 4.3 44 36 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 400 16.7 7.1 6.1 43 37 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 700 28.8 13.5 11.5 47 40 
			 Over three years less than four years 200 42.5 21.0 17.6 49 41 
			 Four years 90 48.0 26.8 23.7 56 49 
			 Over four years up to and including 5 years 100 57.5 31.8 28.2 55 49 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 200 83.5 43.1 38.5 52 46 
			 Over 10 years less than life 10 138.7 62.9 57.7 45 42 
			 (1) On discharge: the sentence may change after reception if there are further charges or an appeal. (2) Excludes discharges following recall after release on licence, non-criminals, persons committed to custody for non-payment of a fine and persons reclassified as adult prisoners. (3) Rounded to the nearest 100 or to the nearest 10 for number less than 100. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 10.1: average time served in prison by prisoners discharged from determinate sentences on completion of sentence or on licenceadults: England and Wales 2005 
			Month   
			 Average time served  Percentage of sentence served 
			  Length of sentence( 1)  Number of persons discharged( 2,3)  Average length of sentence  Including remand time  Excluding remand time  Including remand time  Excluding remand time 
			  Adult male and female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than indeterminate 70,500 16.8 9.0 8.0 54 48 
			 Up to and including three months 17,800 1.9 0.9 0.8 49 41 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 18,900 4.7 2.2 1.8 47 39 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 6,100 8.7 4.0 3.1 46 36 
			 12 months 3,000 12.0 5.5 4.4 46 37 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 4,900 16.3 7.6 6.2 46 38 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 9,500 28.5 14.4 12.4 51 44 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,900 42.5 22.5 19.8 53 46 
			 Four years 1,700 48.0 28.7 25.7 60 53 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 2,400 57.2 34.2 30.7 60 54 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,800 84.3 50.0 45.1 59 54 
			 Over 10 years less than indeterminate 400 160.5 93.9 84.5 58 53 
			
			  Adult male   
			 All lengths of sentence less than indeterminate 64,000 17.2 9.3 8.3 54 48 
			 Up to and including three months 15,700 1.9 1.0 0.8 49 41 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 17,300 4.7 2.2 1.8 47 39 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 5,500 8.7 4.0 3.2 46 36 
			 12 months 2,800 12.0 5.6 4.4 47 37 
			 Over 12 months up to and including 18 months 4,400 16.3 7.6 6.3 47 38 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 8,800 28.5 14.5 12.5 51 44 
			 Over three years less than four years 2,700 42.5 22.6 19.9 53 47 
			 Four years 1,600 48.0 28.8 25.8 60 54 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 2,300 57.2 34.5 30.9 60 54 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 2,600 84.2 50.6 45.6 60 54 
			 Over 10 years less than indeterminate 400 160.9 94.3 85.0 59 53 
			
			  Adult female   
			 All lengths of sentence less than indeterminate 6,500 13.1 6.2 5.4 48 41 
			 Up to and including three months 2,200 1.9 0.9 0.8 47 41 
			 Over three months up to and including six months 1,600 4.7 2.1 1.8 45 37 
			 Over six months less than 12 months 700 8.7 3.7 2.9 42 33 
			 12 months 300 12.0 4.9 3.9 41 33 
			 Over. 12 months up to and including 18 months 400 16.4 6.7 5.6 41 34 
			 Over 18 months up to and including three years 700 28.5 13.5 11.6 47 41 
			 Over three years less than four years 200 42.6 20.7 18.6 49 44 
			 Four years 90 48.0 27.3 24.3 57 51 
			 Over four years up to and including five years 100 57.5 30.5 26.6 53 46 
			 Over five years up to and including 10 years 200 85.1 41.7 37.6 49 44 
			 Over 10 years less than indeterminate 10 147.6 81.3 67.2 55 46 
			 (1) On discharge: the sentence may change after reception if there are further charges or an appeal. (2) Excludes discharges following recall after release on licence, non-criminals, persons committed to custody for non-payment of a fine and persons reclassified as adult prisoners. (3) Rounded to the nearest 100 or to the nearest 10 for number less than 100.  Source: Quality: These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems. Care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, but the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system. See Technical appendix of report for fuller information.

Sentencing

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in the last 10 years he has written to members of the judiciary to remind them of sentencing guidelines.

Gerry Sutcliffe: It is for the Court of Appeal or the Sentencing Guidelines Council to issue guidance to courts about sentencing practice. Criminal Justice Ministers made a statement to the National Criminal Justice Board on 23 January 2007, which included a reference to the sentencing principles set out in legislation. The Senior Presiding Judge, who sits on the Board, agreed with the Lord Chief Justice that the statement should be drawn to the attention of all judges and magistrates as they took the view that it was helpful.
	The Sentencing Guidelines Council was set up in March 2004 and we are not aware of previous communication to the judiciary about sentencing guidelines. But the statement to the National Criminal Justice Board is not unprecedented. For instance, a similar statement was issued in November 2002 by the then Home Secretary, Lord Chancellor and Attorney-General.

Sentencing

Christopher Fraser: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the proportion of cases where members of the judiciary did not follow sentencing guidelines in 2006-07 to date.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Monitoring of sentencing guidelines is primarily a matter for the Sentencing Guidelines Council. It is not possible to make an estimate of the proportion of cases where sentencing guidelines were not followed in individual sentencing decisions, particularly when there have so far been few offence specific sentencing guidelines published. The Sentencing Guidelines Council publishes information about sentencing trends and monitors decisions of the Court of Appeal for those cases where an appeal involves consideration of the application of a guideline.

Serious Organised Crime Agency

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the agreed policy on commenting on the operational deployment of Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) staff referred to in the answer of 4 September 2006,  Official Report, column 1938W, on SOCA.

Vernon Coaker: There is no written statement of this policy.

Staff Intake

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of staff from under-represented groups were taken on by his Department in 2005-06; what proportion of the total number of staff places available this represented; and what proportion such members of staff were of the total number of candidates for the relevant vacancies.

Liam Byrne: 7,709 new staff were recruited to the Home Office in 2005-06. Of these 758 (10 per cent.) were minority ethnic and 106 (1.4 per cent.) were disabled. The Prison Service are unable to provide data for the total number of candidates for these posts. However for the remainder of the Home Office there were 16,752 applicants for 2,049 posts of which 2 per cent. were minority ethnic and 0.23 per cent. were disabled.
	We do not have data for the sexual orientation or religion or belief of applicants.

Terrorism

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government maintains a no-fly list for individuals suspected of terrorist activity; and if he will make a statement.

John Reid: The UK makes uses of a number of systems and procedures to provide protection against those involved in or suspected of being involved in terrorism, including those planning to travel by air. Due to the operational nature of these systems and processes it would not be appropriate for me to give specific details.

Theft: Drugs

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of individuals convicted of robbery in 2006 were reported as having a drug problem.

Vernon Coaker: Information on the individual circumstances of offenders is not collected on the Court Proceedings Database held by the office for criminal Justice Reform.
	Data on the number of convictions for robbery in England and Wales in 2006 will be available in November.

Vandalism: Public Houses

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were brought by the Crown Prosecution Service in relation to vandalism in public houses in each year since 1997.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Court Proceedings Database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform does not enable offences involving vandalism in public houses to be separately identified.

Witnesses: Protection

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms are in place to prevent prisoners sending threatening letters to the victims of their crimes.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 February 2007
	All prisoners' correspondence is subject to monitoring and interception protocols laid out in the Prison Service's national security framework, and may be stopped from leaving the prison. The level and frequency of such monitoring is proportionate to any risk identified.
	Prisoners are generally not permitted to write to the victims of their offences without the authorisation of the governor. Letters which the governor deems may add to the distress or hurt of the victim or their family are withheld.
	A confidential helpline operated by the National Offender Management Service is available for victims to report any unwanted contact from prisoners. Details can be found on the Prison Service website.

Young Offenders: Gloucestershire

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) under 12-year-olds,  (b) 13-year-olds,  (c) 14-year-olds,  (d) 15-year-olds,  (e) 16-year-olds and  (f) 17-year-olds had criminal records in Gloucestershire in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Data from the court proceedings database held by the Office for Criminal Justice Reform for the number of juveniles (10 to 17) proceeded against at magistrates court and convicted at all courts for various offences in Gloucestershire police force area 1997-2005 can be found in the following tables.
	
		
			  Number of young persons aged 10 to 17 proceeded against magistrates court for various offences in Gloucestershire police force area, 1997 to 2005( 1, 2) 
			  Age  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 10 (3) 10 (3) 1 (3) 2 2 (3) 1 
			 11 6 8 13 5 6 6 9 5 5 
			 12 33 13 22 33 21 43 23 11 28 
			 13 67 55 29 34 59 46 69 57 62 
			 14 104 100 78 82 88 88 100 99 118 
			 15 174 184 156 154 169 156 152 165 225 
			 16 246 232 297 285 284 283 238 234 283 
			 17 467 444 405 444 518 403 450 379 423 
			 Total 1,097 1,046 1,000 1,038 1,145 1,027 1,043 950 1,145 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Nil  Source: RDS office for Criminal Justice Reform 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of young persons aged 10 to 17 convicted at all courts for various offences in Gloucestershire police force area, 1997 to 2005( 1, 2) 
			  Age  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 10 (3) 2 (3) (3) (3) 1 1 (3) (3) 
			 11 1 2 7 2 3 4 5 1 3 
			 12 16 4 18 16 15 32 18 7 22 
			 13 33 33 19 18 40 31 51 40 47 
			 14 63 55 43 54 66 67 74 75 90 
			 15 97 113 87 104 114 106 101 130 160 
			 16 152 135 176 170 187 200 173 174 200 
			 17 318 267 260 306 332 280 288 292 287 
			 Total 680 611 610 670 757 721 711 719 809 
			 (1) These data are on the principal offence basis. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Nil  Source:  Source:  RDS Office for Criminal Justice Reform

TRANSPORT

A1: Tyne and Wear

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the A1 from the New Tyne Crossing to the Ponteland road interchange is capable of being widened from four to six lanes with slip roads within its existing embankments.

Stephen Ladyman: The Highways Agency have been asked to look at future upgrade opportunities for the full length of the A1 Western Bypass. They are due to report to Ministers shortly.

A1: Tyne and Wear

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has commissioned a study on the cost and feasibility of widening the A1 new Tyne crossing from four to six lanes.

Stephen Ladyman: The Secretary of State has not commissioned a study to look at widening the A1 Tyne crossing to six lanes. However the Highways Agency has been asked to look at future upgrade opportunities for the full length of the A1 western bypass. They are due to report to Ministers shortly.

Airports: Bangkok

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with UK-based airlines on runway cracks at Bangkok's new Suvarnabhumi airport.

Gillian Merron: I am aware of recent reports about cracks in runways and taxiways at Suvarnabhumi airport.
	UK operators are required to have procedures for ensuring the continuing adequacy and suitability of the aerodromes that they plan to use. No UK operators have raised the concerns about the safety of Suvarnabhumi airport with either the Civil Aviation Authority or the Department for Transport. However, I understand that British Airways has undertaken its own investigation and is satisfied the cracks do not affect the safety of its operations.
	I understand the Thai authorities have undertaken their own investigation which has concluded that the cracks are superficial. However, officials from the Department are currently in Thailand on unrelated business and will take the opportunity to discuss the issue with them.

Airports: Security

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review security arrangements following the fog experienced at UK airports prior to Christmas.

Gillian Merron: We do not intend to review security arrangements at UK airports as a result of the fog experienced late last year, as this is a safety matter.

Blue Badge Scheme

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many user visits were recorded on the Blue Badge map website in each of the last five months.

Patrick McFadden: I have been asked to reply.
	The Directgov website brings together a wide range of public information and online services. In July 2006, a new interactive service, which makes it easier for disabled people to find Blue Badge scheme parking bays, was launched on the site.
	The number of visits to the Blue Badge website for the last five months are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of visits 
			 September 2006 5,753 
			 October 2006 5,509 
			 November 2006 5,884 
			 December 2006 5,287 
			 January 2007 8,786

Buses: Safety

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if he will arrange for the Health and Safety Executive to inspect the UK's fleet of Volvo buses consequent on the evidence regarding their susceptibility to engine surges given in the case of Henvey at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will arrange for his Department to inspect the UK's fleet of Volvo buses consequent on the evidence regarding their susceptibility to engine surges given in the case of Henvey at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Any technical problem with such vehicles would be a matter for the Department of Transport to deal with, not the Health and Safety Executive. However, we are not aware of any technical evidence to suggest that there might be any such problem with Volvo buses operating in the UK.
	We are aware of the alleged engine-surge incident in Ireland and it is understood that no technical faults were discovered in the vehicle involved in this tragic accident.

Channel Tunnel Railway Line

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that there will be a physical link between the west coast main line and the north London extension of the channel tunnel rail link.

Tom Harris: A connection is being installed as part of the CTRL section two works to provide access to the channel tunnel rail link from the west coast main line via the north London line.

Departments: Consultants

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which external consultants were used by  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies in relation to private finance initiatives in 2005-06; and what the (i) nature and (ii) cost of the work was in each case.

Gillian Merron: I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 4 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 3-4W, given to the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Carmichael).

Departments: Retirement

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees from his Department were asked to retire upon reaching 65 years of age as a result of the Department's mandatory retirement policy in each year since 1997.

Gillian Merron: The Department for Transport was established in May 2002. The Department does not hold a central record of whether any staff have been asked to retire upon reaching 65. The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	Since October 2006, the Department has followed the 'duty to consider' procedure. If staff approaching 65 wanted to continue in service, their application would be duly considered.

Driving Instruction

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent review has been undertaken of how often driving instructors should be tested.

Stephen Ladyman: The most recent review into approved driving instructor check tests was in 2000. This study recommended that the current frequency of testing was appropriate.

Driving Instruction

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many driving instructors have qualified to instruct in 2007; and how many qualified in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland and  (c) Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: 3,978 driving instructors have qualified to instruct for payment in 2007. This figure reflects the position as at 31 January 2007 and is the latest available data.
	The number of driving instructors who have qualified in England Scotland and Wales from 2004 to 2007 is shown in the following table. The Driving Standards Agency does not hold the information prior to 2004.
	
		
			  Area  2004-2005  2005-2006  2006 to January 2007 
			 England 3252 3352 3,020 
			 Scotland 370 367 283 
			 Wales 884 866 675 
		
	
	Prior to 2004-2005, data are only available for the total number of Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) joining the Register of ADIs. The number of new registrations on the Register is shown below.
	
		
			   Number 
			 1996-97 2,351 
			 1997-98 2,425 
			 1998-99 2,478 
			 1999-2000 2,264 
			 2000-01 2,767 
			 2001-02 3,123 
			 2002-03 3,250 
			 2003-04 5,056

Driving Instruction

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average age is of driving instructors in  (a) England,  (b) Scotland and  (c) Wales.

Stephen Ladyman: The average age of driving instructors in Great Britain as of 21 February 2007 was 47. The Driving Standards Agency, which holds the register of approved driving instructors, does not have separate figures for England, Scotland or Wales.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many noise monitors have been put in place for monitoring the noise of aeroplanes entering and exiting Heathrow airport in the last 12 months; where such monitors have been placed; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what noise monitor procedures are in place in relation to aeroplanes landing at Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  what monitoring there was of noise in the London borough of Wandsworth caused by aeroplanes entering and exiting Heathrow airport in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006; what monitoring has taken place in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Noise from departing aircraft is continually monitored by BAA at 10 fixed sites under the departure tracks at Heathrow. The monitors are put in place to gauge whether aircraft comply with the departure noise limits specified in the noise abatement notice for Heathrow under Section 78(1) of the Civil Aviation Act 1982. The noise limits apply at a distance of 6.5 kilometres from aircraft 'start of roll', so the location of the fixed monitors is relatively close to the airport; it does not extend to Wandsworth. Compliance is reviewed regularly through the Noise and Track Keeping Working Group, and data is published annually in BAA's Flight Evaluation Reports. There are no equivalent limits for arriving aircraft.
	Data from the fixed monitors, together with additional mobile noise monitors, is used to validate a noise exposure model for the 16 hour daytime summer period. The Civil Aviation Authority, on behalf of the Department, uses the model to produce annual noise contours at Heathrow airport, representing noise from both arriving and departing aircraft. (ERCD Report 0406, available on the CAA website, shows the location of both fixed and mobile monitoring sites over recent years.) The 2005 noise contours were published last December and are available on the Department's website.

Heathrow Airport: Noise

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions BAA imposed fines when aeroplanes exceeded noise limits when  (a) entering and  (b) exiting Heathrow airport in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: Airlines who infringe noise limits (which are for departures only) are surcharged by BAA Heathrow, in the form of a 'noise supplement'. Details are reported annually in BAA Heathrow's Flight Evaluation Reports. The relevant data for the last five years are as follows:
	
		
			   Number by night  Number by day  Total  Total fines () 
			 2001-02 233 139 372 191,500 
			 2002-03 201 77 278 182,500 
			 2003-04 113 82 195 112,500 
			 2004-05 117 15 132 73,500 
			 2005-06 168 42 210 120,000

Hire Services: Greater London

Derek Conway: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultation he has undertaken on the implementation of private hire legislation as applied to local authority operators in London.

Gillian Merron: The only change which has been brought forward recently to the legislation on private hire vehicles (PHVs) in London which will affect PHV work for local authorities, is in section 54 of the Road Safety Act 2006. This will bring into the licensing regime in London currently unlicensed PHV operators, drivers and proprietors who carry specific groupsincluding under local authority contractsrather than the general public. A three-month consultation exercise in was carried out in 2004 before including this change in the Road Safety Bill. Following Royal Assent to the Bill in November 2006, we sought the views of principal stakeholders, and others who had written to us about this matter, on the date for bringing sections 53 (which repeals the contract exemption from licensing outside London) and 54 into force.

Lorries

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the mobile compliance device acquired by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency; how much the equipment has cost; and what plans he has for its future use.

Stephen Ladyman: The mobile compliance device (MCD) is being tested by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) in stages from spring 2006 until later in 2007. The results of using the MCD are incorporated into VOSA's targeting and intelligence led programme. This is measured against VOSA's key targets and measures set by the Secretary of State. For the current financial year to date VOSA are on track to achieve the relevant measures.
	The capital cost for each of the 550 MCDs is 882.
	In the future it is anticipated that the MCD will support:
	The new digital tachograph regulations.
	VOSA's operator compliance risk score system.
	Enforcement and prohibition notices.
	The forthcoming graduated deposit and fixed penalty system.

Motor Vehicles: Tax Evasion

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what targets he has set for reducing vehicle excise duty evasion.

Stephen Ladyman: The current target for VED evasion is that we reduce the evasion level to 2.5 per cent. by December 2007.

Parking: Scarborough

Robert Goodwill: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the decriminalisation of parking enforcement in Scarborough to be authorised.

Gillian Merron: Ministers will consider formally the application from Scarborough borough council (as agent for North Yorkshire county council) for decriminalised parking enforcement (DPE) powers once the council has completed its application by confirming in writing that all of the Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs), traffic signs and road markings within the borough have been fully reviewed, any deficiencies have been remedied and as a result, all of the TROs, traffic signs and road markings are lawful and are in line with the regulations. If approved, the relevant parliamentary processes will then need to be completed before the DPE powers come into effect.

Railways: Oxford

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the reasons for discrepancies in peak time return rail fares between Oxford and Reading and Oxford and Banbury.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport does not compare specific fares or reasons for variations on routes.
	Standard day return fares, which are valid for travel at peak times, are regulated between Oxford and Reading, and Oxford and Banbury. Fares regulation currently allows train operators to increase regulated fares overall by an average of RPI+1 per cent. each year. Within this average, which is monitored by the Department, individual regulated fares may rise by up to RPI+6 per cent. at the operators discretion. These fares have not exceeded regulation.

Road Signs and Markings: Languages

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has given to local highway authorities on the erection of bi-lingual road signs.

Gillian Merron: The traffic signs regulations specify signs in English only. The Department has not published advice on use of bi-lingual road signs. However, we have published advice on the reasons why the amount of information included on a traffic sign should be limitedin Local Transport Note 1/94, the Traffic Signs Manual and Volume 8 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges.

Roads: Accidents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were  (a) injured and  (b) killed in automobile accidents by those (i) under 25 years of age and (ii) over 25 years of age in each of the last 10 years.

Stephen Ladyman: The number of people injured and killed in reported personal injury road accidents where there was at least one motor vehicle driver/rider (i) under the age of 25 and (ii) aged 25 and over in each of the last 10 years is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Casualties from reported personal injury road accidents involving drivers/riders of motor vehicles aged under 25 and drivers/riders of motor vehicles aged 25 and over, Great Britain, 1996 to 2005 
			  Number of casualties 
			   Age of driver/rider 
			   Under 25( 1)  25 and over( 1) 
			   Fatal  Injured  Fatal  Injured 
			 1996 1,288 112,127 2,848 262,065 
			 1997 1,219 111,418 2,914 272,147 
			 1998 1,070 106,973 2,863 272,454 
			 1999 1,022 101,259 2,842 268,005 
			 2000 1,019 99,728 2,840 268,663 
			 2001 1,084 98,398 2,849 260,753 
			 2002 1,088 98,132 2,819 251,078 
			 2003 1,100 94,539 2,884 238,321 
			 2004 1,134 93,166 2,567 229,760 
			 2005 1,119 91,702 2,567 220,432 
			 (1) Accidents that involve both a driver under the age of 25 and a driver aged 25 or over will be included in both categories.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Adoption

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what resources will be made available to implement the Children Contact and Adoption Act.

Parmjit Dhanda: holding answer 22 February 2007
	The Government are currently considering a timescale for implementation of provisions in parts 1 and 2 of the Children and Adoption Act 2006. That exercise includes consideration of the nature and level of resources that will be needed to support implementation of the Act. We will be making a written ministerial statement shortly outlining the timetable and, as appropriate, the nature and level of resources to support implementation.

Adult Education

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions he has had with Government colleagues on the role of adult education for those without level 2 qualifications in overcoming poverty and social exclusion; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The priorities for adult education, that is all adult learning funded through the Learning and Skills Council, is to help those who need it most by achieving our targets for basic skills and a first full Level 2 qualification. These priorities have been set out in our Skills Strategy and Further Education White Papers which have been agreed across Government.
	The Skills Alliance acts as a high profile champion for the Skills Strategy and ensures that our strategic aims of transforming both the demand for and supply of skills are carried through. The Skills Alliance is led by the Secretaries of State for Education and Skills and Trade and Industry.
	I am also working closely with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on our response to the Leitch Report on skills. In his report, Lord Leitch has recommended a new integrated employment and skills service that would have a significant role to play in reducing poverty and social exclusion, by helping those without a full Level 2 qualification to find a sustainable job and to progress in their chosen career.

Apprentices

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the completion rates were for  (a) Apprenticeships and  (b) Advance Apprenticeships in each sector in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows success rates for Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships (calculated as the number of leavers who met all the requirements of their Apprenticeship framework, divided by the number of learners who have either left training or successfully completed their programme). These data were published in Table 8 of the Statistical First Release, 'Further Education and Work Based LearningLearner Outcomes in England: 2004/05' in April 2006.
	
		
			  Success rates in LSC funded work based learning provision 
			  Percentage 
			   2003-04  2004-05 
			  Sector subject area  Advanced apprenticeships  Apprenticeships  (at level 2)  Advanced apprenticeships  Apprenticeships  (at level 2) 
			 Agriculture, Horticulture and Animal Care 40 36 39 43 
			 Arts, Media and Publishing 35 31 36 24 
			 Business, Administration and Law 31 37 42 47 
			 Construction, Planning and the Built Environment 39 25 46 40 
			 Education and Training (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Engineering and Manufacturing Technologies 38 30 46 43 
			 Health, Public Services and Care 24 16 22 32 
			 History, Philosophy and Theology (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Information and Communication Technology 49 51 56 50 
			 Languages, Literature and Culture (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Leisure, Travel and Tourism 38 26 28 35 
			 Preparation for Life and Work 20 (1) 15 (1) 
			 Retail and Commercial Enterprise 21 29 24 40 
			 Science and Mathematics (1) (1) 53 (1) 
			 Social Sciences (1) (1) (1) (1) 
			 Unspecified Sector Subject Area (1) 57 6 8 
			 Total 32 30 38 40 
			 (1) Number of learners less than 50  Source: Learning and Skills Council Individualised Learner Record (ILR)

Apprentices

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills which apprenticeship and advanced apprenticeship frameworks  (a) do and  (b) do not stipulate a technical certificate as a mandatory requirement.

Phil Hope: All apprenticeship frameworks approved for funding by the Learning and Skills Council at both Level 2 and Level 3 must contain elements to cover both competence and underpinning knowledge for that occupation. This can be delivered either through a separately assessed off the job technical certificate or can be integrated into delivery and assessment of the National Vocational Qualifications.

Children: Mental Health Services

Helen Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will break down the number of children in care receiving support from mental health services by age group.

Ivan Lewis: I have been asked to reply.
	Information is not available in the format requested. The 2005 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) mapping found that during the data collection period (October 2005 to February 2006) 9,745 looked after children received help from CAMHS. This represents 9 per cent. of the total CAMHS caseload, and 16 per cent. of the number of children looked after.

Departments: Appeals

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many independent bodies existed to hear appeals on decisions made by his Department and its executive agencies in  (a) 1997-98,  (b) 2001-02 and  (c) 2005-06; and  (d) how many there were in 2006-07 to date.

Parmjit Dhanda: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) In 1997-98 there was one independent body which heard appeals on decisions made by the then Department for Education and Employment and its executive agencies. The Independent Schools Tribunal heard appeals against the withdrawal of the registration of independent schools.
	In October 2000 the Education (Restriction of Employment) Regulations 2000 introduced an appeals system for individuals who the Secretary of State had prohibited or restricted from employment in education establishments on grounds of misconduct or health and these were heard by the Protection of Children Act Tribunal.
	 (b) In 2001-02 there were therefore two independent bodies hearing appeals on decisions made by the Department for Education and Skills. The Department had no executive agencies.
	In April 2002 the Protection of Children Act Tribunal was subsumed into the Care Standards Tribunal (CST). The machinery of government changes in June 2003 moved the responsibility for all children and family policy to the Department. Appeals against the inclusion of individuals' names on the list of those considered unsuitable to work with children (the PoCA list) were subject to appeal by the CST. In September 2003 the Independent Schools Tribunal was absorbed into the CST.
	 (c) and  (d) In 2005-06 and 2006-07 to date, there has been one independent body which heard appeals on decisions made by the Secretary of State. The Department has no executive agencies.
	The CST is therefore the appeals body for decisions of the Secretary of State for Education and Skills in respect of the:
	inclusion of individuals' names on the list of those considered unsuitable to work with children (the PoCA list);
	restriction or prohibition from teaching, acting as proprietor of independent schools and employment in schools /further education institutions;
	registration of independent schools.

Departments: Complaints

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints were received by his Department and its Executive agencies in  (a) 1997-98,  (b) 2001-02 and  (c) 2005-06; and how many have been received in 2006-07 to date.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills does not keep a central record of complaints and to gather these data would incur disproportionate cost.

Departments: Complaints

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many staff worked in dedicated complaints units in his Department and its Executive agencies in  (a) 1997-98,  (b) 2001-02 and  (c) 2005-06; and how many have done so in 2006-07 to date.

Parmjit Dhanda: The Department for Education and Skills does not have a dedicated complaints unit. Most complaints are received by the Department's public communications unit and allocated to the most suitable official within the Department; normally the line manager of an individual being complained about or the senior manager with responsibility for the policy area. No staff are involved in full-time complaints handling.

Foster Care: Safety

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provisions in the Children's Act 2004 to ensure the safety of children who are privately fostered.

Parmjit Dhanda: The new measures in the Children Act 2004 and the Children (Private Arrangements for Fostering) Regulations 2005, strengthened the private fostering notification scheme which was introduced under the Children Act 1989. These measures came into effect in July 2005. The Government have agreed that, at a suitable point during the lifetime of the new provisions, they will publish a report on the impact of the new measures in the Act, including an indication of whether the Government are minded to move towards a registration scheme. Sections 45 and 47 of the Children Act 2004 make provisions which allow the Government to introduce a registration scheme in England at any point within four years of the Act receiving Royal Assent. The report will therefore be prepared and published in time for Parliament to consider the matter by November 2008.

Foundation Degrees

Stephen Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the answer of 15 January 2007,  Official Report, column 801W, on foundation degrees, whether he met  (a) the Higher Education Funding Council for England,  (b) the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education,  (c) Universities UK,  (d) the Russell Group of universities,  (e) the 1994 Group of Universities,  (f) the Campaign for Modern Universities,  (g) the Association of Colleges and  (h) the 157 Group of college principals to discuss Clause 19 of the Further Education and Training Bill prior to the publication of the Bill.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 19 January 2007
	Sir Andrew Foster's report into the future role of further education colleges, published in November 2005, recommended that
	consideration should be given to allowing some colleges, that meet quality criteria the ability to award their own qualifications, rather than working through awarding bodies.
	Prior to the publication of the Further Education and Training Bill, departmental officials discussed how these proposals might be taken forward from the Quality Assurance Agency and the Higher Education Funding Council for England. The views of the Association of Colleges and other representative bodies from the further education sector were also taken. The Department then launched a written consultation on November 2006, and in response received over 30 written submissions on the proposals from a wide range of stakeholder bodies. There have been numerous discussions about the proposals too. The representations we have received have been instrumental in modifying the proposals of Clause 19 to ensure that the views of the further and higher education sectors, and other interested parties, are taken into account.

Further Education: Eastbourne

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people over the age of 60 years were enrolled in  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time (i) vocational and (ii) non-vocational courses in colleges of further education in Eastbourne in 2005-06.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not yet available for Eastbourne for 2005/06; but will be available in approximately six weeks. Consequently, the information provided as follows is for Sussex and England.
	In 2005/06, there were some 3,900 Learning and Skills Council funded learners aged over 60 in Sussex; of these, 2.4 per cent. were full-time learners and 97.6 per cent. were part-time learners. There were 147,100 Learning and Skills Council funded learners aged over 60 in England. Of these, 1.5 per cent. were full-time learners and 98.5 per cent. were part-time learners. There is no precise definition of what constitutes a vocational or non-vocational course in colleges of further education.

Higher Education: Admissions

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of children leaving full-time education in  (a) all North East constituencies and  (b) the rest of the UK went on to a place at university in each of the last five years.

Bill Rammell: The latest available figures on participation in higher education by constituency were published by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in January 2005 in Young Participation in England, which is available from their website at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/pubs/hefce/2005/05_03/
	This report shows participation rates for young people who enter higher education aged 18 or 19, disaggregated by region, for the years 1997 to 2000. The figures for North East region, and the comparable figure for England, are shown in the table. HEFCE have not produced participation rates beyond 2000.
	
		
			  Young Participation Rate (YPR (A)) in higher education( 1)  for year cohort aged 18 
			   Cohort for North East region( 2)  Young Participation Rate (A) for North East region( 3 ) (percentage)  Young Participation Rate (A) for England (percentage) 
			 1997 33,000 24.2 29.2 
			 1998 34,100 23.4 28.8 
			 1999 33,000 24.0 29.2 
			 2000 32,000 24.0 29.9 
			 (1) Covers all students studying higher education courses at UK higher education institutions and other UK institutions, for example further education colleges  (2) Cohorts are reported to the nearest 100.  (3) Young Participation Rates for constituencies are reported to the nearest percentage.   Source:  Higher Education Funding Council for England. 
		
	
	The total number of entrants from the North East region for each year since 2001/02 are given in the following table:
	
		
			  UK domiciled entrants aged 18 to undergraduate courses at all UK higher education institutions 
			  Academic year  North East region  Rest of UK 
			 2001/02 6,570 146,290 
			 2002/03 6,615 150,305 
			 2003/04 6,735 152,210 
			 2004/05 6,580 154,440 
			 2005/06 7,100 169,560 
			  Note:  Figures are on a HESA Standard Registration Population basis and are rounded to the nearest 5.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	The Department uses the higher Education Initial Participation Rate (HEIPR) to assess progress on increasing first-time participation of English students aged 18 to 30 in higher education towards 50 per cent: the latest provisional figure for 2004/05 is 42 per cent. The HEIPR is not calculated at regional level.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications to universities were made in each academic year from 1997 to 2007, broken down by ethnic group.

Bill Rammell: The available information is as follows. The figures are taken from data collected by the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) which are limited to students who apply to full-time first degree courses via the UCAS application system. The figures do not therefore cover part-time students nor those full-time students who apply directly to higher education institutions.
	
		
			  UK domiciled applicants to full-time undergraduate courses through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) 
			   Year of entry 
			  Ethnic group  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 White 315,137 300,927 299,620 298,395 302,636 304,366 311,615 314,251 339,781 
			 Black 14,815 14,039 14,148 14,611 14,441 14,728 17,019 18,651 23,120 
			 Asian 34,960 35,872 37,564 38,553 39,785 37,883 38,914 39,735 41,823 
			 Mixed n/a n/a n/a n/a 6,841 7,523 8,365 9,260 11,571 
			 Other 6,367 6,346 6,749 7,171 2,888 2,636 2,876 3,660 4,692 
			 Unknown 27,048 32,404 30,610 30,361 33,054 34,718 31,179 27,777 23,643 
			 Grand total 398,327 389,588 388,691 389,091 399,645 401,854 409,968 413,334 444,630 
			  Note: There have been a number of changes to the ethnic origin classifications between 1996 and 2005 entry, including the introduction of other groupings such as mixed, and Chinese. In the table, Chinese has been included in Asian.  Source: Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

Higher Education: Student Numbers

Iain Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many applications to university places for degrees longer than three years there were in each of the last 10 years.

Bill Rammell: The available information relates to entrants to full-time first degree courses. The latest information, for academic years 1996/97 to 2005/06, is shown in the table. Comparable information for 2006/07 will be available in January next year.
	
		
			  Number of entrants to full-time first degree courses by expected length of study, English higher education institutions,  academic years 1996/97 to 2005/06 
			   Length of study 
			  Academic year  3 years or less  More than 3 years  Not known  Total 
			 1996/97 174,975 76,335 6,810 258,120 
			 1997/98 185,265 83,695 4,365 273,325 
			 1998/99 181,010 75,745 6,375 263,130 
			 1999/2000 180,190 74,380 6,555 261,125 
			 2000/01 183,190 72,430 5,270 260,890 
			 2001/02 196,590 70,630 5,430 272,650 
			 2002/03 210,405 72,330 5,160 287,895 
			 2003/04 220,755 71,585 2,140 294,480 
			 2004/05 222,325 74,645 1,155 298,125 
			 2005/06 235,480 78,950 2,020 316,450 
			  Notes:  1. Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest 5. Therefore components may not sum to totals.  2. Comparable information on applications to full-time first degree courses is not held centrally.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Students: Complaints

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints from students were received by  (a) the Learning and Skills Council and  (b) the Learning and Skills Council South East in each year since 2003.

Bill Rammell: The following table shows the data readily available on the number of complaints dealt with by the Learning and Skills Council, nationally and for the South East region.
	
		
			   South East  Total England 
			 October 2002 to March 2003 61 343 
			 April 2003 to March 2004 67 399 
			 April 2004 to September 2005 174 634

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Official Residences

John Hayes: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his place of official residence during the periods for which he has assumed the Prime Minister's responsibilities.

John Prescott: My official residence remains in Admiralty House.

MINISTER FOR WOMEN

Females: Councillors

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality what steps the Government are taking to increase the number of women councillors.

Meg Munn: Currently only 29 per cent. of councillors are women. The Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government recently announced the launch of an independent Commission on Local Councillors to consider the incentives and barriers to people serving as councillors and make recommendations. One aspect of the review will be to consider issues of under-representation by women. The Commission is expected to report to the Secretary of State in the autumn.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Civil Service

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if she will make available to the Public Administration Select Committee the analysis of the consultation on the proposed Civil Service Bill.

Hilary Armstrong: A statement will be made in due course.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Councillors: Pay

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the remuneration will be for those elected to the shadow councils in Northern Ireland in 2008.

David Cairns: Decisions on the level of remuneration for those elected to the shadow councils in 2008 will be made once the governance arrangements under which they will operate have been determined.

Credit Cards: Marketing

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to protect vulnerable consumers from the aggressive marketing techniques of finance companies offering credit card facilities in Northern Ireland.

Maria Eagle: Any business advertising credit, including credit cards, to consumers must comply with the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the Consumer Credit Advertising Regulations 2004. These regulations set down very strict controls about how credit is advertised and marketed.
	The Northern Ireland Trading Standards Service (TSS) has undertaken proactive work to ensure that consumer credit advertising in Northern Ireland complies with these regulations. The TSS also investigates any complaint about the behaviour of consumer credit businesses and, if necessary, reports the findings to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) which has the power to revoke consumer credit licences.

Disabled

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps his Department has taken to improve the access of people with disabilities to public services in Northern Ireland.

David Hanson: Government are committed to improving access to public services for disabled people as well as complying fully with all the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA). In keeping with the DDA duty to anticipate what reasonable adjustments people with disabilities might require, it continually reviews the accessibility of its services.
	Virtually all of the 205 buildings in the NI Civil Service Estate have been subject to Accessibility Audits in line with the access duties of the DDA. A small percentage of these buildings do not require to be audited or to have adjustments made at this time either because there is no public interface, no disabled member of staff present or for operational reasons. All sites are kept under review and adjustments made if circumstances change.
	Public service providers must ensure they are meeting their duties under the Act and the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland provides detailed advice and information on meeting these requirements.

District Councils: Absenteeism

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the average absence rates were for staff in each district council in Northern Ireland in  (a) 2001 and  (b) 2006.

David Cairns: The information on absenteeism rates within district councils is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the Local Government Auditor, under the provisions in Article 26 of the Local Government (Northern Ireland) Order 2005 plans to publish a report on council absenteeism for the year ending 31 March 2006 shortly. I will let you have a copy when it is available.

Domestic Wastes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what expenditure the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies have made relating to the use or trial of microchips in rubbish bins for domestic waste collection; and what funding has been provided to councils for this purpose.

David Cairns: Three Northern Ireland district councils (Newtown abbey, North Down and Craigavon) have used a total of 140,000 grant aid, provided through the Environment and Heritage Service's Waste Management Grant Scheme, to microchip recycling bins.
	The Waste Management Grant Scheme was introduced in 2001 to put in place the small scale infrastructure, such as recycling bins and amenity sites, that would help councils meet the recycling targets in their Waste Action Plans. These targets are designed to meet EU regulations in respect of the amount of waste going to landfill.

Domestic Wastes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding or support the Northern Ireland Office and its agencies have provided to (a) Antrim, (b) Belfast, (c) Lisburn, (d) Newtonabbey and (e) North Down councils for the installation of microchips in domestic rubbish bins.

David Cairns: The Environment and Heritage Service has provided neither funding nor support for the installation of microchips in domestic rubbish bins in Antrim, Belfast or Lisburn. It has, however, provided such funding to Newtownabbey and North Down councils, 29,750 and 68,500 respectively. Funding of 41,750 was also provided for Craigavon borough council to install microchips in domestic bins.

Housing Waiting Lists

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were on housing waiting lists in each housing executive district in each of the past 18 months; how many people in each district have been waiting  (a) less than six months,  (b) six to 18 months,  (c) 18 to 24 months and  (d) over 24 months for housing.

David Hanson: The information requested is set out as follows: Table 1 provides the numbers at the end of each quarter over the last 18 months; table 2 provides the length of time applicants have been waiting for accommodation.
	
		
			  Table 1: Applicants on Waiting List (the breakdown of the waiting list is a snapshot of applicants for Housing Executive properties on the waiting list on the last day of the month shown) 
			   Applicants 
			  Housing Executive District  December 2006  September 2006  June 2006  March 2006  December 2005  September 2005 
			 Antrim 926 888 845 792 777 786 
			 Armagh 770 715 694 659 668 657 
			 Ballycastle 301 295 286 289 305 308 
			 Ballymena 1,333 1,338 1,295 1,254 1,170 1,146 
			 Ballymoney 424 421 408 392 379 357 
			 Banbridge 619 565 539 508 506 499 
			 Bangor 1,767 1,682 1,644 16,391 1,622 1,599 
			 Belfast 1 1,078 1,083 1,041 1,050 1,040 1,047 
			 Balfast 2 1,636 1,624 1,598 1,594 1,548 1,586 
			 Balfast 3 1,038 1,089 1,056 1,010 973 997 
			 Balfast 4 926 910 872 844 900 915 
			 Balfast 5 753 739 712 697 700 688 
			 Balfast 6 1,238 1,235 1,186 1,180 1,155 1,171 
			 Balfast 7 1,958 1,937 1,874 1,845 1,811 1,781 
			 Carrickfergus 942 910 900 916 890 880 
			 Castlereagh 1,101 1,103 1,065 1,060 1,048 1,037 
			 Coleraine 1,149 1,083 1,047 1,034 998 981 
			 Cookstown 340 341 328 326 340 336 
			 Downpatrick 1,145 1,118 1,103 1,027 1,028 1,004 
			 Dungannon 716 713 658 667 642 647 
			 Fermanagh 1,012 998 987 918 916 887 
			 Larne 457 421 406 380 389 393 
			 Limavady 535 519 481 474 462 448 
			 Lisburn Antrim Street 1,687 1,676 1,659 1,594 1,590 1,609 
			 Lisburn Dairy Farm 589 563 525 515 530 593 
			 Londonderry 1 742 747 739 715 684 678 
			 Londonderry 2 659 656 645 607 584 587 
			 Londonderry 3 694 681 676 671 622 597 
			 Lurgan 962 927 866 854 834 838 
			 Magherafelt 458 457 432 409 409 411 
			 Newry 1,679 1,667 1,606 1,562 1,582 1,543 
			 Newtownabbey 1 718 707 682 712 704 685 
			 Newtownabbey 2 779 777 777 747 701 699 
			 Newtownards 1,421 1,402 1,361 1,276 1,269 1,240 
			 Omagh 579 567 521 514 483 489 
			 Portadown 632 624 602 590 562 552 
			 Strabane 534 561 569 587 582 596 
			 Grand total 34,297 33,739 32,685 31,908 31,403 31,267 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Waiting list by length of time at December 2006 (the breakdown of the waiting list is a snapshot of applicants for Housing Executive properties on the waiting list on the last day of the month 
			  Housing Executive District  Months 5  6 months and 1 year  1 year and 2 years  2 years or more  Grand total 
			 Antrim 240 246 191 249 926 
			 Armagh 225 205 144 196 770 
			 Ballycastle 70 62 52 117 301 
			 Ballymena 334 354 272 373 1,333 
			 Ballymoney 112 119 80 113 424 
			 Banbridge 204 162 115 13 619 
			 Bangor 396 391 339 641 1,767 
			 Belfast 1 225 229 196 428 1,078 
			 Balfast 2 367 393 307 569 1,636 
			 Balfast 3 186 223 211 418 1,038 
			 Balfast 4 240 208 168 310 926 
			 Balfast 5 240 67 43 203 753 
			 Balfast 6 303 284 240 411 1,238 
			 Balfast 7 475 447 358 678 1,958 
			 Carrickfergus 211 208 156 367 942 
			 Castlereagh 258 268 214 36 101 
			 Coleraine 333 280 237 299 1,149 
			 Cookstown 92 99 71 78 340 
			 Downpatrick 254 295 203 393 1,145 
			 Dungannon 197 170 140 209 716 
			 Fermanagh 238 253 180 341 1,012 
			 Larne 165 127 61 104 457 
			 Limavady 167 134 102 132 535 
			 Lisburn Antrim Street 440 387 302 558 1,687 
			 Lisburn Dairy Farm 187 175 104 123 589 
			 Londonderry 1 164 192 143 243 742 
			 Londonderry 2 198 193 118 150 659 
			 Londonderry 3 191 201 42 160 694 
			 Lurgan 266 246 178 272 962 
			 Magherafelt 116 128 86 128 458 
			 Newry 393 374 366 546 1,679 
			 Newtownabbey 1 177 148 134 259 718 
			 Newtownabbey 2 185 212 143 239 779 
			 Newtownards 330 340 278 473 1,421 
			 Omagh 193 152 89 145 579 
			 Portadown 223 182 111 116 632 
			 Strabane 159 120 98 157 534 
			 Grand total 8,754 8,374 6,472 10,697 34,297

Local Government Reorganisation

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 4 December 2006 to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman),  Official Report, columns 793-94W, on local government reorganisation, whether a more detailed estimate of the costs associated with implementation of the Review of Public Administration's decisions in relation to local government has now emerged.

David Cairns: Work is continuing to determine these costs.

Pupil Exclusions: Violence

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pupils in each education and library board area were excluded  (a) temporarily and  (b) permanently from school for violent behaviour in each of the last five years.

Maria Eagle: From the 2002-03 school year, statistics on the reasons for suspension have been gathered annually from each education and library board and relate to the number of individual suspensions, not to the number of pupils suspended.
	Table 1 details the number of suspensions(1 )for physical attacks on staff, in each education and library board, in the 2002-03 to 2004-05 school years:
	
		
			  Table 1: Physical attacks on staff 
			  Education and library board  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Belfast 75 73 84 
			 Western 99 72 49 
			 North Eastern 91 49 51 
			 South Eastern 64 79 57 
			 Southern 36 47 21 
			 NI total 365 320 262 
			 (1) The count of occasions is based on each incidence of suspension, where an incident is defined as a count from the first day a pupil was suspended until the last day suspended. Prior to 2004-05, the count of occasions was based on each record of suspension identified by the education and library boards, and in some instances longer periods of suspension may have had more than one record. This change is due to an improvement in the data collection systems for suspensions in the education and library boards, which has enabled better analysis of the data. As a result, the number of occasions pupils were suspended in 2004-05 has decreased from previous years. However, care should be taken when comparing the number of occasions in 2004-05 with the number of occasions in previous years. 
		
	
	Table 2 details the number of individual suspensions for physical attacks on pupils, in each education and library board, in the 2003-04 to 2004-05 school years:
	
		
			  Table 2: Physical attacks on pupils 
			  Education and library board  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05 
			 Belfast 284 400 381 
			 Western 392 353 375 
			 North Eastern 434 521 434 
			 South Eastern 347 345 312 
			 Southern 387 363 342 
			 NI total 1,844 1,982 1,844 
		
	
	Reasons for expulsion were first collected in 2003-04. The numbers involved are relatively small and are not disaggregated between education and library boards because of the risk that a school/pupil may be identifiable.
	Table 3 shows the total number of pupils expelled for physical attacks on staff and pupils for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 school years:
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   2003-04  2004-05 
			 Physical attacks on staff 7 7 
			 Physical attacks on pupils 9 5 
		
	
	The suspension and expulsions statistics for 2005-06 school year are currently being analysed by our statistics branch and will be placed on the DE website when this has been completed.

Road Traffic: Coleraine

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicles per day on average use the Lodge Road roundabout in Coleraine in the last period for which figures are available.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Roads Service (Dr. Malcolm McKibbin) has written to the hon. Gentleman in response to this question.
	 Letter from Dr. Malcolm McKibbon, 23 February 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a parliamentary Question regarding, how many vehicles on average use the Lodge Road roundabout in Coleraine per day. As this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
	By way of background, I should explain that Roads Service collects traffic volume data by means of 270 automatic census points strategically located throughout the Northern Ireland road network. The information is recorded for one week in each quarter during the year and an annual average calculated. The results are published in Roads Service's annual Traffic and Travel Information Report, which presents the traffic volumes in a variety of formats for each site. The figures quoted are based on the latest available report, which is the 2005 census.
	I should, however, explain that in relation to the Lodge Road roundabout, unfortunately there are census points on only three of the five approach roads. While I have detailed the average daily number of vehicles entering the roundabout from these roads in the table, I am unable to provide you with the full information requested.
	
		
			  Lodge Road Roundabout  Average Daily Flow 
			 Ballymoney Road 8,180 
			 Sandleford Bridge 13,920 
			 Ballycastle Road 11,176 
			 Lodge Road n/a 
			 Rugby Avenue n/a 
			 Total 33,276 
			 n/a = not available

Water Supply

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what proportion of rateable premises are without a mains water supply in each  (a) Parliamentary constituency and  (b) district council area in Northern Ireland.

David Cairns: The Chief Executive of Water Service (Mrs. Katharine Bryan) has written to the hon. Lady in response to this question.
	 Letter from Mrs. Katharine Bryan, dated 27 February 2007:
	You recently asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland a Parliamentary Question about how many and what proportion of rateable premises are without a mains water supply in each  (a) parliamentary constituency and  (b) district council area in Northern Ireland (123611). I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as Chief Executive of Water Service.
	It is estimated that less than 1 per cent. of domestic properties in Northern Ireland are not connected to the mains water supply. Water Service does not, at present, hold records of unconnected properties but is currently developing a comprehensive customer database in preparation for the introduction of domestic charging from April this year. The database will identify any domestic properties not connected to the mains water supply. It will be able to report by district council area but not by parliamentary constituency.

CONSTITUTIONAL AFFAIRS

Absent Voting: Fraud

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether she plans to take steps to amend electoral law following the comments of Election Commissioner Judge Richard Mawrey on signs of postal voting fraud in the May 2006 local elections in Tower Hamlets.

Bridget Prentice: We are introducing a range of new measures at the May 2007 local elections that are designed to strengthen the security of postal voting. These build on the measures successfully introduced in May 2006, which helped to detect the alleged fraud in Tower Hamlets. The new measures include: the use of personal identifiers by postal voters; the new offence of falsely applying for a postal vote; the requirement in all cases for a reason to be given if postal ballot papers are to be sent to a different address to that at which the postal voter is registered; a marked register of returned postal votes; and new secrecy warnings on postal voting documents.
	It would be premature at this stage to amend electoral law further. We will wish to consider the effectiveness of these new measures in light of the experience of postal voting at the May 2007 elections, and whether further measures are necessary.

Elections: Pilot Schemes

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 6 February 2007,  Official Report, column 878W, on elections: pilot schemes, for what reasons local authorities with past histories of holding pilot schemes have been funded to repeat the pilot schemes.

Bridget Prentice: The Government continue to support the funding of pilot schemes from authorities that have previously held e-voting pilots in order to refine the systems and processes that we wish to test and to establish evidence about the longer-term impact of innovations.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what plans the Government have to use the Government Connect network for CORE data transactions.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are considering different options for the transmission of data between electoral registration officers and the CORE keeper, dependent on an analysis of the available options. The Government Connect network is one of the options under consideration.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the CORE database will have the functionality to support individual electoral registration.

Bridget Prentice: The CORE information system will be built to support the current, household-based registration electoral system. It will not, as currently envisaged, have specific functionality for individual registration; however it will be built with flexibility to support it if required.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether the CORE information system will have the flexibility to allow linkages to other databases and data-matching should future Government policy and legislation allow.

Bridget Prentice: The CORE information system is intended to be flexible enough to allow new functionality, such as linkages to other databases and data matching, to be added as legislation and policy allow in the future.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs which central Government Departments and agencies will have access to the CORE database.

Bridget Prentice: The list of bodies permitted access to electoral registration information is set out in existing legislation. Access to information from the CORE information system will be subject to the same legislation.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs whether CORE will be able to cross-match data to identify duplicate registrations.

Bridget Prentice: The CORE information system will not be able to cross-match data to identify duplicate registrations, as it is not currently possible to differentiate individual electors. It will remain the responsibility of the electoral registration officers to do so within their own local authority area.

Electoral Register: Databases

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what assessment she has made of the implications of the recent report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on the Electoral Commission on her Department's plans to designate the Electoral Commission as the CORE keeper.

Bridget Prentice: The Government are currently considering the recent report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life on the Electoral Commission and will respond in due course.

Freedom of Information

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many and what percentage of requests received by central Government in 2006 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 were refused on the grounds of disproportionate cost; and how many and what percentage she estimates would have been refused had the fee structure changes presently proposed been in force throughout 2006.

Vera Baird: The 2006 annual statistics on implementation of the Freedom of Information Act in central Government have not yet been published. The most recent statistics available are for Q1, Q2 and Q3 2006.
	Central Government received 18,500 resolvable requests during Q1, Q2 and Q3 2006 of which 816 (4.4 per cent.) were refused on the grounds that they exceeded the appropriate cost limit.
	Table 3 of the Frontier Economics report published on 16 October 2006 estimates that including reading, consideration and consultation time in calculating the appropriate limit would result in a 4 per cent. volume reduction of requests processed within the appropriate limit across central Government. If the aggregation of non-similar requests is introduced the report estimates an 8 per cent. volume reduction of requests processed within the appropriate limit across central Government.
	These figures are the estimated volume reductions for introducing each option on its own and are not additive.
	Under the Act authorities are not obliged to answer a request if it is estimated to exceed the appropriate limit, but may still choose to do so. The request volume reduction figures in the Frontier Economics report are upper-band figures and assume that government bodies apply the provisions in all cases where possible and do not exercise discretion in application.
	Where authorities refuse on cost grounds they are under a statutory obligation to provide advice and assistance to enable the requestor to refine their request so that it can be processed within the appropriate cost limit.
	The independent review showed that a small minority of requests and requestors account for disproportionate amounts of the cost of answering FOI requests. Our proposals are designed to address this issue by targeting the 5 per cent. of requests that account for 45 per cent. of the time spent dealing with initial requests, as detailed at figure 5 of the Frontier Economics report.

Legal Aid: Applications

Daniel Rogerson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many applications for legal aid were  (a) received and  (b) granted by the Legal Services Commission in each year since 2000.

Vera Baird: The Legal Services Commission (LSC) receives applications for civil representation only. All other applications for legal aid are made to the courts or to service providers.
	The following table shows the number of applications received by the LSC and the number of certificates issued during each year from 2000-01.
	
		
			  Civil representations 
			   Applications received by the LSC  Certificates issued by the LSC( 1) 
			 2000-01 226,104 174,017 
			 2001-02 205,821 161,988 
			 2002-03 211,723 164,193 
			 2003-04 205,122 160,998 
			 2004-05 193,305 155,464 
			 2005-06 194,788 155,164 
			 (1) Certificates issued in any particular year include ones where the application was made in previous years. 
		
	
	Applications for legal help, which includes advice and assistance, are made directly to service providers who under contract with the LSC assess the applications. In successful applications the service provider commences the work and reports it to the LSC as a matter start. Service providers do not report applications for legal help that are unsuccessful. The following table shows the number of matter starts reported by service providers during each year since 2000-01.
	
		
			  Civil legal help matter starts( 1)  Number 
			 2000-01 780,769 
			 2001-02 773,346 
			 2002-03 809,293 
			 2003-04 719,057 
			 2004-05 689,808 
			 2005-06 799,145 
			 (1) These include matters started in asylum and immigration and also matters started under Community Legal Service Direct 
		
	
	Matters started in legal help can in some cases proceed further to receive additional funding under a legal aid certificate upon application to the LSC.
	In criminal matters, applications for representation are made to the court. The following table shows the number of applications received and granted by the courts.
	
		
			2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Crown Court Representation Applications received by the Crown Court 12,827 12,004 10,962 11,904 12,321 13,002 
			  Applications granted by the Crown Court 12,537 11,828 10,759 11,675 12,098 12,777 
			 Magistrates' Courts Representation Applications received by the magistrates' courts 563,002 664,448 704,819 705,635 670,102 700,292 
			  Applications granted by the magistrates courts' 530,622 633,944 672,092 669,853 635,648 664,912 
		
	
	Service providers in criminal matters also provide advice and assistance to suspects held in the police station prior to possible charges being brought. The number of people helped is included in the following table.
	
		
			  Suspects advised at police stations 
			   Number 
			 2000-01 760,495 
			 2001-02 699,108 
			 2002-03 702,089 
			 2003-04 735,275 
			 2004-05 749,362 
			 2005-06 772,414

Legal Representation: Fees and Charges

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average hourly rate paid for legal representation was in each of the last five years for those who paid their legal costs and were reimbursed after acquittal or the dropping of charges.

Vera Baird: The Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 allows criminal courts the discretion to order that an acquitted defendant, who has paid for their own legal costs, be reimbursed for the costs properly incurred by him in those proceedings out of central funds. The data held centrally cannot identify the average hourly rate paid to either solicitors or counsel from central funds. However, claims are assessed by a determining officer, who will allow work which has been actually and reasonably done. In assessing the appropriate hourly rate the determining officer will have regard to the guideline figures for the summary assessment of costs used in the civil courts.
	(see www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/publications/guidance/scco /appendix_2.htm).
	Other payments can also be made from central funds, such as those to defence witnesses, expert witnesses, or interpreters or for medical reports, as well as to solicitors and counsel. The total spend from central funds for the past five years are listed in the following table:
	
		
			   
			 2001-02 44,674,514 
			 2002-03 34,542,464 
			 2003-04 64,741,116 
			 2004-05 37,348,462 
			 2005-06 61,888,924

Legal Representation: Fees and Charges

Nicholas Clegg: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what the average hourly rate paid for legal representation was under legal aid in each of the last five years.

Vera Baird: We are unable to provide a figure for an average hourly rate. The legal aid schemes provide for a variety of ways in which lawyers can be remunerated, including through fixed, standard, and graduated fees, individual contract rates and prescribed hourly rates. In successful civil cases, where an order may be made for payment of costs by the opponent, providers may be remunerated at market rates. Barristers' fees are generally not set by reference to hourly rates.
	Where hourly rates are used, different hourly rates are set out in regulations and contracts depending on whether the case is civil or criminal, the tribunal or court where representation is provided and other factors. Providers can also claim enhancements and uplifts, depending on, for example, matter type, complexity, or seniority of fee earner. As part of our legal aid reform programme we are extending the categories of work that are covered by fixed, standard and graduated fees.

Magistrates Courts: Legal Aid

Oliver Heald: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many legal aid representation orders were granted in magistrates courts in each of the last 12 months.

Vera Baird: Prior to implementation of the new means test on 2 October 2006, the figures requested were collected only on a quarterly basis. For the three quarters starting January 2006, the number of representation orders granted in the magistrates courts were as follows:
	
		
			  Quarter ending  Representation orders granted( 1) 
			 March 2006 166,119 
			 June 2006 157,495 
			 September 2006 160,267 
			 (1 )Estimates based on the returns submitted by magistrates courts. 
		
	
	The monthly grants of representation orders in the magistrates courts during each of the first four months following the introduction of the new means test are as follows:
	
		
			  Month  Representation orders granted( 1) 
			 October 2006 32,693 
			 November 2006 42,808 
			 December 2006 33,667 
			 January 2007 46,199 
			 (1 )Estimates based on the returns submitted by magistrates courts.

Negligence: NHS

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many legally aided clinical negligence cases were closed in 2006; and how many of those cases resulted in  (a) an award of damages and  (b) a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Vera Baird: Figures covering the whole of 2006 will not be available until after the end of the current financial year. However, 6,362 legally aided clinical negligence cases were closed in 2005-06. In 181 of these cases the solicitors reported that the outcome was unknown, as the client had ceased to give instructions or was proceeding under other funding or as a litigant in person. Of the remaining cases, 116 resulted in an award of damages and 1,819 in a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Negligence: NHS

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many of the legally aided clinical negligence cases which were closed in 2006 proceeded beyond the investigation stage; and how many of those resulted in  (a) an award of damages and  (b) a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Vera Baird: Figures covering the whole of 2006 will not be available until after the end of the current financial year. However, during 2005-06, 2,505 cases are known to have progressed beyond the investigation stage to the issue of proceedings. These included the 116 cases that resulted in an award of damages and 1,334 settled cases that involved an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Negligence: NHS

John Baron: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs how many of the legally aided clinical negligence cases which were closed in 2006 and which did not proceed beyond the investigation stage resulted in  (a) an award of damages and  (b) a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Vera Baird: Figures covering the whole of 2006 will not be available until after the end of the current financial year. However, during 2005-06, 3,676 cases were closed at the investigation stage, before the issue of proceedings. There being no proceedings in these cases, there were no awards of damages, but 485 cases resulted in a settlement involving an agreement to pay damages or compensation.

Parliamentary Questions: Freedom of Information

Michael Wills: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs if she will make an estimate of the effect of the draft fees regulations proposed under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 on the number of parliamentary questions asked.

Vera Baird: My Department has no plans to estimate the effect of the draft FOI fees regulations on the number of parliamentary questions asked.
	There is no link between requests submitted under the Freedom of Information Act and parliamentary questions. Members of Parliament will continue to be able to ask for information under both regimes.

Parliamentary Questions: Freedom of Information

Michael Wills: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs what estimate she has made of the number of Freedom of Information requests answered by the Government in 2005-06 likely to be refused under the proposals contained in the draft fees regulations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Vera Baird: My Department's estimates are based on the results of the independent review conducted by economic consultancy firm Frontier Economics, published on 16 October 2006.
	Table 3 of their report estimates that including reading, consideration and consultation time in calculating the appropriate limit would result in a 4 per cent. volume reduction of requests processed within the appropriate limit across central Government.
	If the aggregation of non-similar requests was introduced it would result in an 8 per cent. volume reduction of requests processed within the appropriate limit across central Government.
	These figures are the estimated volume reductions for introducing each option on its own and are not additive.
	Under the Act authorities are not obliged to answer a request if it is estimated to exceed the appropriate limit, but may still choose to do so. The request volume reduction figures in the Frontier Economics report are upper-band figures and assume that Government bodies apply the provisions in all cases where possible and do not exercise discretion in application.
	Where authorities are refusing on the ground of cost, they are under a statutory obligation to provide advice and assistance to enable the requestor to refine their request so that it can be processed within the appropriate cost limit.
	The independent review showed that a small minority of requests and requestors account for disproportionate amounts of the cost of answering FOI requests. Our proposals are designed to address this issue by targeting the 5 per cent. of requests that account for 45 per cent. of the time spent dealing with initial requests, as detailed at Figure 5 of the Frontier Economics report.

Parliamentary Questions: Freedom of Information

David Burrowes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs for what reason the letter of 19 January 2000 from the Department's then press officer to the Independent newspaper in relation to the appointment of Lord Griffiths to the Bahl inquiry was not disclosed in the response of 10 October 2006 to the Freedom of Information request of the hon. Member for Enfield, Southgate; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: It is open to the hon. Member to write to my Department and to ask for an internal review regarding his request.

Public Bodies: Staff

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs pursuant to the answer of 19 December 2006,  Official Report, columns 1774-76W, on public bodies: staff, if she will break down the data by official civil service grade; and if she will make a statement.

Vera Baird: The answer will refer to information available in the Library and at the following address on the Cabinet Office Statistics website:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management_of_the_civil service/statistics/civil_service_statistics/index.asp
	The following table shows the headcount of on strength staff broken down by public body and government grade as at 31 December 2006:
	
		
			  Public body/government grade  Total 
			  AgyDCA HQ  
			 AA 28 
			 AO 265 
			 EO 344 
			 EO/HEO 22 
			 HEO 541 
			 SEO 331 
			 G7 306 
			 G6 127 
			 SCS 82 
			 Non comparable government grade 108 
			 AgyDCA HQ total 2,154 
			   
			  AgyScotland Office  
			 AA 3 
			 AO 8 
			 EO 1 
			 HEO 4 
			 SEO 2 
			 G7 3 
			 Non comparable government grade 1 
			 AgyScotland Office total 22 
			   
			  AgyHMCS  
			 AA 2,052 
			 AO 4,522 
			 EO 2,177 
			 EO/HEO 276 
			 HEO 794 
			 SEO 311 
			 G7 251 
			 G6 81 
			 SCS 75 
			 Non comparable government grade 11,855 
			 AgyHMCS total 22,394 
			   
			  AgyPublic Guardianship Office  
			 AA 20 
			 AO 94 
			 EO 112 
			 EO/HEO 24 
			 HEO 39 
			 SEO 26 
			 G7 7 
			 G6 7 
			 SCS 2 
			 AgyPublic Guardianship Office Total 331 
			   
			  AgyTribunals  
			 AA 254 
			 AO 1,967 
			 EO 492 
			 EO/HEO 11 
			 HEO 182 
			 SEO 57 
			 G7 47 
			 G6 20 
			 SCS 13 
			 Non comparable government grade 13 
			 AgyTribunals total 3,056 
			  AgyWales Office  
			 AA 3 
			 AO 6 
			 EO 17 
			 HEO 13 
			 SEO 7 
			 G7 4 
			 G6 6 
			 SCS 2 
			 AgyWales Office total 58 
			 Grand total 28,015

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Housing: Gloucestershire

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the regional spatial strategy's proposals for housing in Gloucestershire.

Meg Munn: The draft Regional Spatial Strategy proposes that the Gloucestershire districts should provide for an average of 2,430 homes to be built each year. An Examination in Public of the RSS proposals will be held by an independent panel, beginning on 17 April. It would not be proper for me to comment on the draft RSS, as this risks prejudicing the Examination in Public, the independence of the panel and the Secretary of State's statutory role in deciding the content of the final RSS.

Council Tax

Richard Benyon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the causes of the changes in levels of council tax since 1997.

Phil Woolas: The Government carry out extensive analysis of pressures on local government when setting the overall level of funding for local authorities. They are also committed to assessing and funding any net new burdens which they place on local government. By 2007-08, the increase in Government grant for local services since 1997 will be 39 per cent. in real terms. There is therefore no excuse for excessive council tax increases.

Milton Keynes Tariff

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will make a statement on the operation of the Milton Keynes tariff.

Yvette Cooper: The Milton Keynes Prospectus, commonly known as the tariff, is a planning obligation, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. It covers anticipated development up to 2016 within the defined Urban Expansion Areas of Milton Keynes, where the Milton Keynes Partnership Committee operates.

Council Mergers

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many requests she has received for the merging of councils.

Angela Smith: We have received 26 bids for unitary status in response to the invitation that we issued on 26 October 2006. All except sixBedford, Exeter, Ipswich, Lancaster, Norwich and Prestoninvolve merging councils.

Local Government Finance

Paddy Tipping: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of local government expenditure was  (a) met by Government grant and  (b) raised locally during the last financial year for which figures are available.

Meg Munn: 72 per cent. of local government revenue expenditure in England in 2005-06 was financed from Government grants and 24 per cent. from council tax.

Local Government Finance

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will give urgent consideration to Stoke on Trent council's bid for capitalisation permission; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Stoke on Trent council's bids for capitalisation permission in respect of both equal pay and redundancy costs were considered in accordance with our published criteria. The Secretary of State granted the council permission to capitalise expenditure up to 12 million on 31 January.

Social Housing

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans she has for future provision of council housing.

Yvette Cooper: We have already invested very substantial sums in improving social housing since 1997. The Government are looking at ways to strengthen the role of local authorities in further provision of affordable housing.

Social Housing

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the role of rented social housing in meeting London's future housing needs.

Meg Munn: Social rented housing has a vital role in meeting London's housing needs so the provision of social housing is a priority in the spending review.
	The Mayor of London is required to produce a Spatial Development Strategy (the London Plan) which establishes the annual rate of housing provision in London, taking account of the need for affordable housing, among other factors.
	The Mayor of London's Housing Requirements Study 2004 identified a requirement over 10 years for 20,800 social rented homes per annum. The Mayor's London Plan sets a new target for an additional 30,500 homes per annum from 1 April 2007 to 2016-17, of which 50 per cent. should be affordable. Of the affordable element, 70 per cent. should be social rented housing and 30 per cent. intermediate housing.

Convention for the Protection of National Minorities

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  how her Department determines to which  (a) racial,  (b) ethnic,  (c) linguistic,  (d) religious and  (e) other groups the European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities is applicable;
	(2)  by what criteria her Department determines which  (a) racial,  (b) ethnic,  (c) linguistic,  (d) religious and  (e) other groups in the UK the European Framework Convention on the Protection of National Minorities applies to.

Phil Woolas: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 February 2007,  Official Report, column 952W to the hon. Member for North Cornwall (Mr. Rogerson).

Dr. David Southall

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will ask local authorities to take steps to identify child protection cases since 1981 to which they have been party where requests for medical records were made by any party to the case to Dr. David Southall and to report to her any such cases.

Parmjit Dhanda: I have been asked to reply.
	Child protection cases are the responsibility of local authorities and the Government would not usually intervene in these matters.

Fire Engines

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many Green Goddesses remain operational in the London area.

Angela Smith: No Green Goddesses remain operational in the London area. Successive issues of The Fire and Rescue National Framework have made clear that fire and rescue authorities are expected to play an increasing role in contingency provision, including in the supply of all appliances and equipment. The Green Goddess fleet is thus no longer required, and is being disposed of through a mixture of donations to good causes and sales.

Fire Services: Greater London

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of personnel in the London Fire Service are members of the Fire Brigades Union.

Angela Smith: London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority records show that 95.3 per cent. of London Fire Service employees who are eligible to join the Fire Brigades Union are members.

Fire Services: Industrial Disputes

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what provision the Department has made to provide fire and rescue cover in the event of a firefighter strike.

Angela Smith: Responsibility for the provision of fire and rescue cover during a firefighter strike rests with local fire and rescue authorities. This Department has been working closely with the Local Government Association and the Chief Fire Officers Association to ensure that all fire and rescue authorities have appropriate arrangements in place in the event of industrial action in the fire and rescue service.

Local Authorities: Standards

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received on the implications for competitiveness of local authorities, service provision; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: My colleagues and I regularly discuss the importance of local public service provision for the competitiveness of the national economy, and local economies, with representatives of local government and other relevant stakeholders. The 2006 Local Government White Paper, Strong and Prosperous Communities, sets out our vision for the role of local authorities and their partners in stimulating the economic competitiveness of their areas.

Local Government: Devon

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many submissions she received before 31 January 2007 seeking unitary or enhanced two-tier status from councils within the county of Devon; and over what time scale she intends to consider them.

Phil Woolas: We have received no bids for a pathfinder from councils in Devon.
	As our Implementation Plan published on 22 January set out, we intend to announce which pathfinders we will be working with subsequent to our announcement in March 2007 on unitary proposals.

Non-domestic Rates: Telecommunications

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if she will consider  (a) the increased administrative costs associated with meeting business rates obligations and  (b) the contribution alternative operators make to BT, as regulated by Ofcom, as part of her forthcoming consultation on non-domestic rates for unbundled local loops; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: Administrative costs to stakeholders are one of a number of issues the forthcoming consultation on non-domestic rates and unbundled local loops will consider. The contribution made by alternative operators to BT is a matter for Ofcom as the independent regulator of the telecommunications industry.

Non-domestic Rates: Telecommunications

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what discussions her Department has had with  (a) the Department of Trade and Industry,  (b) HM Treasury and  (c) Ofcom on the potential impact upon competition in the UK broadband market of making local loop unbundling operators subject to non-domestic rates liability for unbundled local loops; and if she will make a statement.

Phil Woolas: As part of the preparatory work for the consultation on the long-term rating solution of unbundled local loops the Department has had several discussions with representatives from DTI, HMT and Ofcom. The Department intends to issue a consultation paper in due course.

Smith Institute: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much money from the public purse  (a) her Department and  (b) its agencies have given to (i) the Smith Institute and (ii) its subsidiary, SI Events Limited, in each year since 1997; and for what purpose each payment was made.

Angela Smith: The Department for Communities and Local Government and its agencies have made no payments to the Smith Institute or its subsidiary, SI Events Ltd, since May 2003. Figures prior to that date could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Unitary Councils

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what account she plans to take of population size in considering proposals for new unitary authorities; and whether she has set an optimum population size for a unitary authority area.

Phil Woolas: Our assessment of unitary proposals will be against the criteria specified in the Invitation issued on 26 October 2006. To the extent that population size is a relevant consideration in such an assessment we will have regard to it.
	Our research report Population size and Local Authority Performance which we published alongside the White Paper, makes it clear that while the picture is complex, there is evidence for potential economies of scale to be realised by larger local authorities in the delivery of key county and district services.

Unitary Councils

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she plans to take to assess the level of public support for proposals for unitary status in local authority areas.

Phil Woolas: We are now assessing the proposals, having regard to the information available to us, against the criteria specified in the Invitation, including the criterion that any unitary change must be supported by a broad cross-section of stakeholders and partners.
	Those proposals which we believe meet the criteria specified in the Invitation will proceed to stakeholder consultation, which we intend to be for a 12-week period from the end of March to the end of June 2007. Within this period, it will be open to anyone to make representations to the Secretary of State on the proposals.

HEALTH

Adverse Drug Reactions

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many admissions there were for adverse drug reactions in East Sussex in each year since 2004; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Blood

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take into account the extent to which economies of scale can be generated in the management of disparate specialist services in making her assessment of NHS Blood and Transport's strategic outline case for the consolidation of blood production facilities at three sites.

Caroline Flint: The National Blood Service (NBS) has proposed that processing and testing facilities will be consolidated at three sites. The outline strategy does not propose that all services will relocate to just these three sites. Services that need to be close to either patients or blood donors will remain so. The specialist services provided to hospitals by the NBS will be rationalised to ensure services continue to be delivered to those hospitals that require them.
	While demand for red cells is falling, demand for specialist services continues to grow. Specialist services are currently subsidised by income from the provision of blood and component products. NBS therefore is aiming to make efficiencies and have regard to economy of scale considerations that allow expanding services to develop further, while reducing subsidies.

Care Homes

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make available the draft national framework for NHS continuing care.

Ivan Lewis: We received a large response to the continuing care consultation, which raised a number of important issues which have needed careful consideration. We intend to publish our response in the near future.

Care Homes: Disabled

James Duddridge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 31 January 2007,  Official Report, column 403W, on care homes: disabled, what information is available on physically disabled young adults living in care homes designed for  (a) the elderly and  (b) other groups in (i) Southend-on-Sea and (ii) Essex.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not collected centrally. The Department and the Commission for Social Care Inspection collects information on the care population by client group and type of care home, but the data do not provide the level of detail requested by the hon. Member.
	Local authorities are responsible for arranging appropriate residential care provision for their populations. The hon. Member may wish to request the information of Southend and Essex councils.

Care Homes: Finance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government's expenditure was on residential care for  (a) the elderly,  (b) children and  (c) disabled people in each of the last 10 years; and what factors underlay decisions on expenditure for each group.

Ivan Lewis: The gross current expenditure for residential provision over the last 10 years, broken down by client group, is shown in the table.
	Local councils are responsible for deciding levels of expenditure on residential care services for their populations according to local need.
	
		
			   million 
			   1996-97  1997-98  1998-99  1999-2000  2000-01  2001-02  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Total Expenditure 4,340 4,730 5,130 5,600 5,900 6,210 7,190 7,300 7,800 8,150 
			 Children(1,2) 620 640 670 740 780 820 880 980 1,060 1,100 
			 Older People(3) 2,690 2,940 3,180 3,450 3,590 3,730 4,250 4,260 4,490 4,640 
			 Adults 18-64(3) 1,030 1,140 1,280 1,410 1,530 1,670 2,070 2,060 2,250 2,400 
			  Of which:   
			 Physically disabled(3) 180 200 220 240 260 280 350 330 340 360 
			 Learning disabled(3) 660 740 840 920 1,020 1,110 1,380 1,400 1,550 1,660 
			 Mentally ill(3) 190 210 220 240 260 280 340 320 350 380 
			 (1) Data up to 1999-2000 include children's homes and other residential costs. (2) Data from 2000-01 include children's homes, secure accommodation (justice and welfare) and other children's looked after services. (3) Data include nursing care, residential care and supported and other accommodation.  Source: NHS Health and Social Care Information Centre

Chiropody: Disciplinary Proceedings

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost to the public purse was of hearings held by the Professional Conduct Committee of the General Chiropractic Council in the latest period for which figures are available.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 23 February 2007
	The General Chiropractic Council is an automatous organisation funded by registration fees and does not receive public money for its hearings.

Community Care: Kent

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much has been allocated to community care for each district in the new East Kent and Coastal Primary Care Trust area;
	(2)  how much has been allocated to community care in  (a) Sittingbourne and  (b) the Isle of Sheppey for 2006-07.

Ivan Lewis: The requested information is not collected centrally. Primary care trusts provide funding for community health services from their central allocations.
	The provision of other community care services in Kent is the responsibility of Kent county council.

Compensation

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much compensation has been awarded by her Department to its staff since May 1997.

Andy Burnham: The figures have been extracted from the Department's losses and special payments register and all were categorised as ex-gratia payments. Information is available only from 2001-02.
	
		
			  Period  Value () 
			 2001-02 38,480.98 
			 2002-03 186,766.98 
			 2003-04 95,330.65 
			 2004-05 34,983.00 
			 2005-06 80,000.00 
			 Total 435,561.61

Departmental Contracts

John Grogan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which public affairs firms were given contracts by  (a) her Department and  (b) public bodies sponsored by her Department in each of the last five years; and what the purpose was of each contract.

Ivan Lewis: Agencies employed by the Department for public relations (PR) and campaign extension services whom we know to offer a public affairs service as well are:
	Countrywide Porter Novellicommissioned by the Department in 2002 for PR and campaign extension services for the Get the Right Treatment campaigndesigned to inform the general public of which NHS services to access how best to do so.
	Munro and Forsterhave been commissioned since 2002 by the Department for PR and campaign extension services for the social work and social care recruitment marketing campaigns.
	Munro and Forsterhave been commissioned since launch in 2000 to manage consumer and national media PR activity for the 5 A DAY programme.
	Munro and Forsterhave been commissioned by the Department since October 2003 for provision of PR services to promote awareness and understanding of the hepatitis C virus to health professionals and the general public.
	Media Mogulscommissioned by the Department from 2001 to 2005to raise awareness of the risks of and how to prevent tuberculosis.
	Fishburn Hedgescommissioned by the Department in 2002 on a continuous basis through the current financial year for PR and campaign extension services for the consumer-facing tobacco control campaign.
	Fishburn Hedgescurrently commissioned by the Department (contract awarded in 2006) to run stakeholder and media relations to support the Smokefree legislation ban on smoking in all public places and workplaces in force by 1 July 2007.
	Fishburn Hedgescommissioned by the Department from January 2004 to July 2004 to develop a communications strategy and material for Choice as part of the London Patient Choice Project.
	Fishburn Hedgescommissioned by the Department from February 2005 to November 2005 to bring internal communications expertise to help research and develop a strategy for communicating system reform to NHS staff and to provide agency support to design and produce communications materials.
	Fishburn Hedgeshave been commissioned since May 2003 by the Department for PR services on the drugs prevention campaign.
	Good Relationscommissioned by the Department from early 2003 to late 2004 to provide media relations for the National Programme for information technology.
	We do not collate information on PR services commissioned by public bodies outside of the Department.

Departmental Expenditure

Brooks Newmark: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department spent on buying, operating and supporting  (a) all commercial software products and  (b) software products produced by Microsoft in each of the last three years.

Ivan Lewis: The Department's expenditure on commercial software products for the last three financial years is shown in the following tables.
	
		
			  Software purchases 
			   
			   Financial year 
			   2003-04( 1)  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Microsoft products 167,310 77,331 78,707 
			 Other products 8,532 109,118 136,016 
			 Total 175,842 186,449 214,723 
			 (1) The Department changed its software supplier in September 2003 as part of its re-tendering of the outsource contract to run and support the Department's IT infrastructure. Figures for 2003-04 are readily available for only the final quarter of that financial year.  Note: All figures given are direct costs incurred from suppliers. 
		
	
	
		
			  Software licence renewal, including software supplier maintenance and support charges 
			   
			   Financial year 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Microsoft products 0 0 0 
			 Other products 516,930 1,072,730 1,100,594 
		
	
	The Department has outsourced the operation and support of its information technology infrastructure, which includes the commercial software products used to provide services. It is not possible to identify separately the cost of operating this software from the overall cost of the service provided.
	
		
			  Connecting for health 
			   
			   Financial year 
			   2003-04  2004-05  2005-06 
			 Microsoft products 13,799 20,149 27,309 
			 Other products 134,202 665,215 1,864,788 
			 Total 148,001 685,364 1,892,097 
		
	
	The expenditure in the table covers software purchase, software licence purchase and software maintenance expenditure costs. All figures given are direct costs incurred from suppliers. No internal costs of supporting or operating the software products have been included as these are not readily available.
	Where items have been classified as Microsoft this is where it is clear from the expenditure description that it is a Microsoft product. Where it is not clear what type of software this is, it has been classified as not Microsoft.
	The figures cover software products for internal use and exclude software purchased on behalf of the national health services.

Departmental Offices

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what area of office space her Department and its agencies used in central London in  (a) 2004 and  (b) 2006; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The office space used in central London by the Department and its executive agencies in 2004 and 2006 is as follows:
	
		
			   2004  2006 
			  Freehold (m( 2) )   
			 Department 23,217.4 24,574.0 
			 Agencies 0 0 
			 Total 23,217.4 24,574.0 
			
			  Leasehold (m( 2) )   
			 Department 39,117.58 27,384.66 
			 Agencies 10,449.0 12,535.5 
			 Total 49,566.58 39,920.1

Departmental Policy Advisers

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library copies of the letters of appointment of each of her special advisers.

Ivan Lewis: The Department does not issue letters of appointment to special advisers. All special advisers are appointed under terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers. This is available on the Cabinet Office's website at:
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/publications/doc/model_contract_special_advisers.doc
	A copy is available in the Library.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply the Prime Minister my right hon. Friend the Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) gave in a written ministerial statement on 24 July 2006,  Official Report, columns 87-91WS.

Departmental Training Courses

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training courses have been offered to  (a) ministers and  (b) civil servants in her Department in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: The National School of Government offers training courses and briefing sessions for Ministers in all Departments on a range of topics. Civil servants are offered training courses from a range of providers, both internal and external. The Department offered the following courses at a corporate level in the period February 2006 to January 2007.
	 People management skills
	time management
	managing teams
	handling difficult situations
	promoting a participative team environment
	developing and motivating staff
	coaching awareness
	 Personal development
	develop inspire achieve
	development programme for administrative officers (AO), executive officers (EO) and higher executive officers (HEO). Modules include:
	self awareness and managing relationships
	time management
	coaching skills
	collaborative working
	working and developing in changing environment
	effective communications
	 Communication skills
	communicating with confidence
	influencing skills
	presenting with impact
	conducting face to face briefing
	 Leadership courses
	prime leadership development programme
	scspbl leadership development programme
	senior leadership team development portfolio
	 IT skills courses
	Microsoft office
	quick place
	same time
	Lotus notes
	management of electronic documents (meds)
	searching and navigating the net
	European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
	 Open Learning Centre
	self-managed interactive courses available for use @ desk, e.g. on CD, DVD. A wide range of subjects are covered including communication skills, time management, IT, finance, languages
	 Other courses
	corporate induction
	programme and project management
	policy skills
	interactive policy skills development e-learning programme
	working with local government
	performance management awareness sessions
	equality duties and responsibility sessions
	introduction to procurement
	procurement training for authorised signatories
	The courses listed are only those offered and funded at corporate level. For the period until April 2006, some of those courses were organised by the Department's (then) group business team and were usually available only to staff within the business group concerned. Training courses funded locally by directorates have not been included, nor have training courses offered and delivered by external providers. Information about these is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Travel

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on  (a) travel,  (b) accommodation,  (c) subsistence and  (d) other associated travel expenses as a result of travel within the UK by staff in (i) her Department and (ii) its agencies in each year since 2001-02.

Ivan Lewis: The Department's finance systems do not hold information in the form requested. Other associated travel expenses, for example cost of hire cars, are included within the travel cost and are not available separately. Accommodation costs are included within subsistence costs.
	In April 2004, the Department introduced a new accounting system under which information on foreign and United Kingdom travel and subsistence costs are not identified separately and cannot be separated without incurring disproportionate costs.
	The Department's total spend on travel and subsistence by staff within the UK since 2001-02 has been as follows:
	
		
			   
			   Travel  Subsistence  Total 
			 2001-02 7,546,829 1,392,948 8,939,777 
			 2002-03 7,189,396 1,421,354 8,610,750 
			 2003-04 7,720,637 2,019,014 9,739,651 
			 2004-05   13,114,517 
			 2005-06   13.505,109 
		
	
	NHS Purchase and Supply Agency (PASA), which is the Department's agency, does not hold information in the form requested. Overseas travel costs and other associated travel costs are included within the travel cost. Accommodation costs are included within the subsistence costs.
	
		
			  NHS PASA had the following spend on travel and subsistence since 2001-02 
			   
			   Travel  Subsistence 
			 2001-02 972,006 305,934 
			 2002-03 995,259 333,858 
			 2003-04 1,024,548 392,277 
			 2004-05 854,320 314,527

Departments: Christmas Cards

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much her Department spent on sending Christmas cards in 2006.

Ivan Lewis: The amount spent on purchasing Christmas cards for 2006 (inclusive of VAT) was 3,001.92.
	All expenditure incurred in the purchase and postage of official Christmas cards is made in accordance with the Department's guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in government accounting. Recipient lists are co-ordinated to avoid duplication.
	Separate figures for postage costs are not available, as some cards would have been included with other correspondence or would have been hand-delivered. The vast majority of those that were not included with correspondence were sent using second-class post.
	Staff numbers, and their time, spent on separate tasks are not recorded, but the amount in each case would have been minimal.
	The cost of each card purchased included a donation of 25 pence shared between the charities listed:
	2Care
	Action for Blind People
	Age Concern
	Alzheimer's Society
	Amnesty International
	Anthony Nolan Trust
	ARCArthritis Research Campaign
	Asthma UK
	Barnado's
	Blue Cross
	Bodleian Library
	Bone Marrow Research
	Breakthrough Breast Cancer
	British and International Sailors' Society
	British Eye Research Foundation
	British Lung Foundation
	Campaign to Protect Rural England
	Cancer Research UK
	Carers UK
	Centrepoint
	ChildLine
	Combat Stress
	Crossroads Association
	Cruse Bereavement Care
	Cystic Fibrosis Trust
	Epilepsy Action
	EveryChild
	Help the Aged
	Iris Fund for Prevention of Blindness
	KIDS
	Leonard Cheshire
	Leukaemia Research Fund
	Macmillan Cancer Relief
	Marine Conservation Society
	Meningitis Trust
	Mildmay Mission Hospital
	Mind
	Motability
	Motor Neurone Disease Association
	Multiple Sclerosis Trust
	Muscular Dystrophy Campaign
	National Autistic Society
	National Children's Bureau
	National Eczema Society
	NCH Action for Children
	NSPCC
	Oxfam
	Plan International UK
	Princess Royal Trust for Carers
	Queen Elizabeth's Foundation
	RNIB
	RNID
	RNLI
	Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund
	Royal Mencap Society
	Royal Society of Arts
	Royal Star and Garter Home
	RSPCA
	Scope
	St. John Ambulance
	Talking Newspaper Association
	The Children's Trust
	The Salvation Army
	Tommy's
	Tuberous Sclerosis Association
	UNICEF
	United Response
	WaterAid
	Vitalise

Departments: Guardian Newspapers

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid by her Department to  The Guardian newspaper in 2005-06.

Ivan Lewis: In the financial year 2005-06 the Department paid 22,742.14 to the Guardian Media Group plc.

Departments: Theft

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what items valued at above 100 were reported as stolen from her Department's buildings or premises in the last 12 months.

Ivan Lewis: Losses and thefts valued over 100 from buildings and premises for the period 1 February 2006 to 31 January 2007 are as follows:
	
		
			  Item  Value () 
			 Compaq laptop computer 1,003.09 
			 Cash 160 
			 Total 1,163.09

Dewsbury Hospital: Health Professions

Shahid Malik: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) nurses,  (b) doctors and  (c) paramedics are employed in the Dewsbury hospital; and how many were employed in 1997.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally.

Eyesight: Testing

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the operation of the National Children's Vision Screening Programme announced in the National Services Framework for Children; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what funding has been made available to each primary care trust for children's vision screening programmes;
	(3)  which primary care trusts (PCT) have set up a universal children's vision screening programme; and how many children in each PCT area have been screened.

Ivan Lewis: The National Service Framework (NSF) for children, young people and maternity services recommends an optometrist-led screening programme for children aged four and five, and for the existing vision tests for seven-year-olds to be discontinued once these programmes are in place. The NSF set out a 10-year plan for improving services for children and young people. It is for primary care trusts to make their own decisions locally about how these improvements are achieved and how they are funded from the overall resources made available to them.

Health Services

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment she has made of the impact of referral management schemes by primary care trusts on the number of referrals to secondary care; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: No such assessment has been made centrally as this is for local determination.
	Health Reform in England: Update and Commissioning Framework, published in July 2006, states that referral management centres must be clinically led and commissioners and providers need to work together to deliver sustainable solutions. Primary care trusts with their partners have been advised that it will be good practice to review, and where necessary, develop existing referral management centres by April 2007 to make sure that they create tangible benefits for patients, and uphold the principles set out in Care and resource utilisation: ensuring appropriateness of care, published on 14 December 2006. This has been placed in the Library and is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4141316chk=iJxRrx

Health Services: Carers

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will extend the scope of the Advance Service Medicine Use Review to cover people who are cared for by carers and members of their family; and if she will make a statement.

Caroline Flint: Medicines use reviews (MURs) are available to any patient who has been receiving pharmaceutical services for at least three months from the pharmacy providing the MUR service. Primary care trusts can identify priority patient groups for MURs, including those that are cared for.

Health Services: Nottingham

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will place in the Library a copy of the Independent Sector Treatment Centre contract awarded to Nations in respect of its plans for a facility adjacent to the QMC hospital in Nottingham.

Andy Burnham: A copy of the contract has been placed in the Library. Commercially sensitive information has been redacted in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

Health Services: Regulation

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps she has taken to increase public understanding and awareness of  (a) healthcare regulation and  (b) healthcare regulatory bodies.

Andy Burnham: It is a key responsibility of the healthcare regulatory bodies themselves to raise public awareness and understanding of their role.
	The consultation document The future regulation of health and adult social care in England, published on 27 November 2006, outlines the functions and roles for a new health and adult social care regulator and which regulatory functions will need to be undertaken from 2008 onwards, and by whom. It provides a clear and refocused approach to regulation and a framework for management of the health and adult social care systems. This is part of the on-going health reform programme and focuses on the development of a regulatory framework that will support health reform to achieve safety, quality, fairness and efficiency for patients and service users across health and adult social care. The consultation document is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations/LiveConsultationsArticle/fe/en?CONTENT_ID=4140711chk=cJg8L/
	A number of consultation events have been held and further events are planned before the consultation ends on 28 February 2007.

Hospital Services

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations she has received about the provision of services at Queen Mary's hospital, Sidcup; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Since the beginning of this session of Parliament there have been 18 letters on the provision of services at Queen Mary's hospital and three parliamentary questions.

Hospital Waste

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what alternative disposal routes for radioactive hospital waste are being considered;
	(2)  how much radioactive waste from hospitals in England was produced in 2006; and how much such waste, in  (a) cubic metres and  (b) TBq, was sent to the national low-level waste repository in that year;
	(3)  what percentage of the low-level radioactive waste produced by hospitals in the last period for which figures are available was sent to the national low- level waste repository.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect data centrally on the use and disposal of radioactive materials by hospitals. The Radioactive Substances Act 1993 requires that hospitals register their use and storage of radioactive materials and hold authorisation for disposal and accumulation of radioactive waste. Under these structures, the registered users maintain detailed local records of use, storage and disposal of radioactive materials. The Environment Agency maintains information on the individual registrations and authorisations, which include the maximum limits on radioactivity permitted. In addition, the Agency holds records related to waste radioactive materials through the pollution inventory.
	The uses of radioactive materials in diagnostic and therapeutic medicine are almost without exception confined to materials of very short half-life. The waste is mostly disposed of by decay, with extreme dilution to watercourses (where strict measures are used to estimate the rate of discharge and ensure that drinking water is never put at risk), as waste for incineration or by dilution in other waste for local authority disposal. As a consequence of these methods of disposal there is no significant burden to the low-level waste repository.
	The Department contributes to discussions with other Government Departments and agencies regarding the future of radioactive waste control and disposal generally. Current discussions are led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Hospitals: Closures

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings  (a) she,  (b) her Ministers and  (c) her officials have had with (i) the chairman of the Labour party and (ii) Labour party employees on potential hospital closures and cuts in services.

Ivan Lewis: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 5 December 2006,  Official Report, column 382W.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what training is provided to medical staff in NHS hospitals on the risks of health care associated infections; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Duty 11 of The Health Act 2006: Code of Practice for the Prevention and Control of Healthcare Associated Infections (HCAIs) requires national health service bodies to ensure that all staff are suitably educated in the prevention and control of HCAIs. This requirement covers both induction and ongoing education. The content of training programmes is determined locally.
	The Health Act 2006: Code of Practice has been placed in the Library and can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/PublicationsAndStatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidanceArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4139336chk=6oAPfi

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations have been made by the Rapid Review Panel to the Health Protection Agency on investment in new technologies to combat health care associated infections; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The rapid review panel (RRP) provides a prompt assessment to the Department of new and novel equipment, materials and other products or protocols that may be of value to the national health service in improving hospital infection control and reducing hospital acquired infections. The panel has considered over 168 products and its recommendations are published on the Health Protection Agency's website but the RRP does not advise on purchasing.

Hospitals: Telephones

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how much the company Patientline paid to the national health service in the 2005-06 financial year for the right to provide non-medical services for patients;
	(2)  how much profit Patientline made from the provision of non-medical services for NHS patients in 2005-06; what percentage of turnover this represented; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Patientline provides non-clinical services to patients in the form of bedside television and telephone services in around 117 national health service trusts in England. The company makes no payments to those trusts for the right to provide these services.
	Patientline does pay trusts for space rental and reimburses them for the cost of power used by the bedside systems. In one case, it also reimbursed a trust for costs it incurred for cabling used by the Patientline system.
	In 2005-06, these payments totalled approximately 400,000, of which 250,000 was for the installation of cabling.
	Where Patientline operates payphones for NHS trusts, in non-ward areas, trusts receive a share of the revenue earned. This was just over 100,000 in the last financial year.
	Patientline is a publicly listed company. It provides information about its profit and loss in its annual report and accounts.

Maternity Services

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the sum provided under Payment by Results for  (a) a home birth,  (b) a birth at a midwife-led unit and  (c) a birth at a consultant-led maternity unit; and, in each case, whether the tariff payment is differentiated according to a prior risk assessment.

Andy Burnham: There is no national tariff for home births. This activity falls outside the scope of payment by results. Under payment by results, no distinction is made between midwife and consultant-led births. The tariff takes account of complications or co-morbidities; however this is not determined by a prior risk assessment.
	The following table sets out the tariffs for births payable under payment by results in 2006-07:
	
		
			   
			  HRG code  HRG name  Elective spell tariff  Non-elective spell tariff 
			 NOG Normal Delivery w cc 1,097 1,428 
			 N07 Normal Delivery w/o cc 735 842 
			 N08 Assisted Delivery w cc 1,755 1,703 
			 N09 Assisted Delivery w/o cc 1,147 1,176 
			 IM10 Caesarean Section w cc 1,879 2,679 
			 NII Caesarean Section w/o cc 1,370 1,938 
			 w cc = with complications and co-morbidities w/o cc = without complications and co-morbidities  Notes: 1. The difference between normal and assisted delivery is the use of specific equipment during the birth. For example, assisted delivery includes forceps delivery, vacuum delivery and breech extraction delivery. 2. The majority of birthing events fall under the non-elective tariff as the time of delivery cannot be planned.

Maternity Services

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) consultant-led and  (b) midwife-led maternity units there were in England in (i) 1997, (ii) 2001 and (iii) the latest period for which figures are available; what forecast she has made of the number and type of maternity units that will be required for (A) 2008 and (B) 2010; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not available in the format requested. The latest information we have available is that there are 181 consultant-led units and 101 midwife-led units, of which 68 are stand-alone and 33 are co-located.
	On 6 February 2007 Dr. Sheila Shribman, National Clinical Director for Children, Young People and Maternity Services, published a report on the future of maternity services, Making it Better for Mother and Baby. The report sets out our vision for the future where all women, their babies and partners will be at the heart of high quality, flexible maternity services which are designed around individual specific needs and choices.
	We are now working on a maternity framework document, to be published shortly, which will help the national health services bring this vision to fruition.

MRSA

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in meeting the Government target set in 2004 to halve the number of MRSA cases by April 2008; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The latest published figures, for April to September 2006, show a 9.5 per cent. drop compared with the same period in the baseline year for the target (2003-04). A range of measures have been put in place, including providing tailored support to those trusts with the most challenging methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus rates, with the aim of getting progress back on track to deliver the target.

MRSA

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what investment the Government are making in new technologies to combat MRSA in NHS hospitals; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations she has received on new technologies to combat MRSA in NHS hospitals; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Tackling health care associated infections including methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to be a priority for the Government and substantial funding has been invested in a variety of research. This includes funding of 950,000 for two linked projects to evaluate a rapid screening test for MRSA.
	We are also looking at the benefits of microfibre and steam cleaning and a report will be ready shortly. The Department's estates and facilities division has funded a number of projects that may be of interest.
	A report on UV disinfection of airborne bacteria in a UK hospitala pilot study by Leeds university is available at:
	www.195.92.246.148/nhsestates/knowledge/knowledge_content/home/home.asp
	The effect of humidity on the survival of MRSA on hard surfaces by the Health and Safety Laboratory;
	An evidence based model for establishing the performance of hospital ventilation systems by the university of Bradford;
	The use of small negative air ions to disinfect MRSA and other airborne pathogens in UK hospitals by the university of Leeds; and
	Reduction of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAIs) by design by Anne Noble Architects.
	Representations on new technologies to combat health care associated infections including MRSA in national health service hospitals are usually channelled through the rapid review panel (RRP). The RRP provides a prompt assessment to the Department of new and novel equipment, materials and other products or protocols that may be of value to the national health service in improving hospital infection control and reducing hospital acquired infections. The panel's recommendations are published on the Health Protection Agency's website at:
	www.hpa.org.uk/infections/topics_az/rapid_review/new_reports.htm

Myasthenia Gravis

Lynda Waltho: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the average hospital waiting times for patients diagnosed with myasthenia gravis were in the latest period for which figures are available; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps her Department is taking to increase the number of  (a) consultants and  (b) nurses qualified to diagnose and treat myasthenia gravis;
	(3)  what steps her Department is taking to raise awareness about myasthenia gravis among  (a) the medical profession,  (b) the general public,  (c) employers and  (d) benefit offices.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has made available, via its Prodigy and NHS Direct websites, detailed information on myasthenia gravis suitable for both health professionals and the general public. In addition, the recently published musculoskeletal services framework will help to raise awareness of all musculoskeletal conditions, including myasthenia gravis, among health professionals.
	Data on hospital waiting times for specific conditions are not collected.
	The national service framework (NSF) for long-term conditions is supporting local sustained improvements in service quality for people with long-term conditions, including myasthenia gravis. The NSF addresses a range of key issues including the need for equitable access to a range of services and the ability to see a specialist and get the right investigations and diagnosis as quickly as possible.
	It is for primary care trusts, in consultation with other stakeholders, to determine the appropriate level of services, and the number of health professionals required, to meet the needs of their local populations living with myasthenia gravis.

NHS: EU Rules

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether she expects that her policy of introducing competition into the supply of healthcare will make NHS services subject to EU single market and competition rules; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: Although health services are covered by the European Union (EU) Treaty, it is well accepted that EU activity must respect the responsibilities of the member states for organising and managing their health systems. Last year's EU ministerial statement on values and common principles underlined the importance of the social objectives that health systems have to deliver.
	National health service bodies generally fall outside the scope of EU competition rules. As set out in Health reform in England: update and next steps, published in July 2006, the introduction of competition will not be appropriate in all services. The Future regulation of health and adult social care in England, published in November 2006, described the Department's position on choice and competition, the need for proportionate and transparent system management and the benefits for patients and the public. As set out in this document, we will provide further guidance in spring 2007.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what overall change to primary care trust allocations for purchasing parity adjustments in cash terms her Department provided from central budgets in  (a) 2005-06 and  (b) 2006-07; and what the overall change she anticipates making to primary care trust allocations in 2007-08.

Andy Burnham: In 2005-06, almost 170 million of central funding was made available to support purchaser parity adjustments to primary care trusts.
	In 2006-07 and 2007-08 no central funding was made available to fund changes to primary care trust allocations for purchasing parity adjustments.

NHS: Finance

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1749W, on NHS Finance, whether sources of financial support besides in-year financial support are available to NHS organisations.

Andy Burnham: The provision of in-year financial support or brokerage is no longer permitted. Deficits in national health service organisations must rest where they fall. In 2006-07, strategic health authorities (SHAs) have the power to agree a resource top-slice from their primary care trusts in order to create a reserve which the SHA may then use to balance the overall financial position across its economy. Organisations making a contribution to this reserve can expect those contributions to be returned over a period which will not normally exceed the three-year allocation cycle. Transactions to create these reserves must be fully reflected in the accounts of each organisation.

NHS: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been top-sliced from the budgets of  (a) Bexley Care Trust,  (b) Queen Mary's Hospital NHS Trust,  (c) Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust,  (d) Darent Valley Hospital NHS Trust and  (e) Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust in 2006-07.

Andy Burnham: The information requested is not held centrally.
	Strategic health authorities (SHA) are responsible for developing and implementing a service and financial strategy for managing the financial position within their locality. This includes creating local reserves to deal with local situations.
	Primary care trusts (PCTs) which make a contribution to their SHA reserve will be repaid, normally within the three-year allocation cycle, when organisations currently in deficit start producing surpluses. SHAs have been asked to ensure PCTs with the greatest health need are the first to be repaid.

NHS: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the NHS budget was spent on  (a) medicines,  (b) operations,  (c) staff wages,  (d) administrative costs and  (e) pension provision in (i) 1997-98 and (ii) 2005-06.

Andy Burnham: The table shows the Department's revenue expenditure in 1997-98 and 2005-06 and the proportion of the national health service budget spent on drugs, staff wages, administration costs, pension provision and operations.
	
		
			  Percentage 
			  Expenditure category  1997-98  2005-06 
			 All salaries and wages (including agency) 42 39 
			 of which admin and clerical salary and wage costs 5 5 
			 Pension 1 4 
			 National insurance 3 3 
			 Drugs (hospital prescriptions) 3 4 
			 Family health service drugs 12 10 
			 Operations  20 
			  Notes:  1. Accounts figures in the table for 2005-06 are provisional.  2. Changes to accounting practices and a number of technical adjustments mean that the data in the two time periods are not strictly comparable.  3. Source of data is the audited account summarisation schedules and financial returns of health authorities/primary care trusts and summarised accounts of foundation trusts (in 2005-06).  4. Pay costs are for hospital and community health service (HCHS) only. The figures do not include the pay element of expenditure on family health services. Pay costs as a proportion of HCHS expenditure is around 65 per cent. in both 1997-98 and 2005-06.  5. The increase in pension costs is driven by a technical change to pension arrangements, which was funded by a transfer from HM Treasury.  6. The operations proportion is defined as elective and non-elective in-patient cases and is based on figures taken from the NHS reference cost index. There is no reliable data source for 1997-98.  7. Expenditure categories overlap; for example the cost of operations is mainly wage costs.

NHS Treatment Centres: Essex

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans she has for the establishment of an independent sector treatment centre in Essex; when she expects the centre to open; how many staff the centre plans to employ; how many operations she expects the centre to carry out each year; and when she expects the contract to establish the new centre to be signed.

Andy Burnham: Independent Sector Treatment Centres (ITSC) in Essex are planned as part of Phase 2 of the ISTC programme. The scheme is currently subject to negotiation but is expected to:
	deliver, from three sites, approximately 13,000 elective procedures per annum over five years, and approximately 83,000 outpatient appointments and patient assessments over five years;
	employ approximately 400 whole-time equivalent clinical and non-clinical staff across the county, allocated to the various services to be provided.
	Contract signature is subject to negotiations but the majority of services are expected to commence from September 2008.

NHS: Advertising

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007,  Official Report, column 2029W, on advertising, how much of the spending on campaign advertising was spent on  (a) sponsoring supplements and  (b) advertorials; and what the topic was of each advertorial.

Ivan Lewis: The total expenditure of 43,816 for Departmental campaign advertising through  The Guardian in 2005-06 did not include spend on either sponsoring supplements or advertorials.

NHS: Marketing

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance she has given to NHS hospital trusts on the establishment of marketing departments.

Andy Burnham: No guidance has been given to national health service hospital trusts on the establishment of marketing departments.
	The Department published a draft code of practice for promotion of NHS services for consultation on 27 November 2006. The provisions of the code cover promotional activity directed at both the public and commissioners and include specific requirements around direct marketing, sponsorship, provider representatives and gifts, inducements and promotional aids.
	The consultation will run until 28 February 2007 and we would welcome views from all those with an interest. The draft code is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/Consultations/LiveConsultations/LiveConsultationsArticle/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4140715chk=VSu8Ni

NHS: Telephone Services

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will take steps to prevent the NHS from using 0870 premium rate telephone numbers for patient hotlines.

Andy Burnham: We banned national health service dentists, NHS opticians, general practitioner practices and GP out-of-hours providers from using 087 premium rate numbers from April 2005.
	Decisions on which telephone numbers and systems to use are taken locally.
	My noble Friend, the former Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner) wrote to primary care trusts in December 2006 to draw their attention to the Central Office of Information guidance on telephone numberingCost to the Citizen. That guidance states that primary care trusts should ensure that NHS dentists, NHS opticians and GP practices, including out-of-hours providers in their area, should consider carefully the best option for their patients.

NHS: Waiting Lists

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the waiting times for episodes of NHS care for which measurement by her Department has been discontinued in each of the last five years.

Andy Burnham: The only waiting times collection discontinued in the last five years is the measurement of waiting times in outpatient clinics. This related to a 1995 Patient's Charter target that patients should be seen within 30 minutes of their given appointment time. The Patient's Charter was replaced by 'Your Guide to the National Health Service' in January 2001.

NHS: Waiting Lists

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list the waiting times for episodes of NHS care measured by her Department; say whether each is subject to a target set by her Department; and say what the target is in each relevant case.

Andy Burnham: The Department collects the following waiting times information:
	
		
			  Area  Target  Target date 
			  Referral to treatment   
			 Waiting time from GP referral to treatment 18 weeks December 2008 
			 Waiting time for inpatient admission from decision to admit. 26 weeks December 2005 
			 Waiting time from GP referral to first outpatient appointment 13 weeks December 2005 
			
			  Waiting time for diagnostic tests   
			 Milestones towards referral to treatment target: 26 weeks for MRI/CT scans March 2006 
			  13 weeks for all tests by March 2007 March 2007 
			
			  Cancer waiting times Maximum one month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment guaranteed for children's and testicular cancers and acute leukaemia 2001 
			  Maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for breast cancer 2001 
			  Maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for breast cancer 2002 
			  Maximum one month wait from diagnosis to treatment for all cancers 2005 
			  Maximum two month wait from urgent GP referral to treatment for all cancers 2005 
			
			  Accident and Emergencytotal time spent in AE from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge   
			 Number of patients spending less than four hours in AE departments and the number of patients spending more than four hours in AE departments. 98 per cent. of patients spending a maximum of four hours in AE from arrival to admission, transfer or discharge December 2004. The target became an operational standard during 2005. 
			
			  Ambulances   
			  75 per cent. within eight minutes 2001 
			 response times to category A calls 95 per cent. within 19 minutes  
			 response times to category B calls 95 per cent. within 19 minutes  
			
			  CHD   
			 Waiting time from GP referral to attendance at rapid access chest pain clinics 2 weeks 2003 
			
			  Sexual health   
			 Patients attending GUM clinics who are offered an appointment within 48 hours of contacting a service 48 hours 2008 
			
			  Primary care access   
			  GP appointment within 48 hours December 2004 
			  Appointment with a primary health care professional within 24 hours December 2004

Nurses: Manpower

Jeremy Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many stoma care nurse posts are sponsored by the ostomy industry; and what the annual value is to NHS trusts of the sponsorship.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally. It is for local trusts to commission and deploy stoma care nurses in accordance with their local needs. Where agreements have been made for alternate funding of these posts, this is a local matter.

Parkinson's Disease: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps the Government are taking to increase the quality of treatment available for those diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in Hertfordshire; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how many Parkinson's disease specialist nurses there were in Hertfordshire in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement;
	(3)  how much was allocated to patients diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in Hertfordshire in each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the funding required for Parkinson's disease nurse specialists in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) East of England strategic health authority; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The information requested is not held centrally. However, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence have published, on 26 June 2006, detailed clinical guidelines on the diagnosis, management and treatment of adults with Parkinson's disease in primary and secondary care. This includes the issue of access to specialist nurses.
	The national service framework for long-term neurological conditions, which specifically included Parkinson's Disease, will ensure faster diagnosis, more rapid treatment and a comprehensive package of care for those living with long-term conditions.

Patients: Travel

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much has been spent on the hospital travel cost scheme in each region.

Andy Burnham: The Department does not collect information on the cost of the hospital travel cost scheme.

Patients: Travel

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the low income criteria are for qualification for the Hospital Travel Cost Scheme.

Andy Burnham: Individuals, and their dependants, in receipt of income support, income-based jobseeker's allowance, pension credit guarantee credit, child's tax credit, working tax credit with child's tax credit or working tax credit with a disability element are able to receive such help. Others may be entitled to full or limited help under the national health service low income scheme.

Picture Archiving and Communication System

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the  (a) original planned and  (b) latest timetable is for delivery of the Picture Archiving and Communication System; what progress has been made with each local service provider system; and what the (i) original and (ii) latest timetable is for each local service provider system.

Caroline Flint: Plans originally developed in autumn 2004 assumed that all deployments of picture archiving and communications systems (PACS) delivered through the national programme for information technology would be completed by the end of March 2007. These plans were subsequently revised to reflect delay due to the impact of a Judicial Review by an unsuccessful bidder which failed in its challenge to the procurement process in the courts, and to the need to re-negotiate the PACS contract in the programme's north west and west midlands cluster area. Despite this delay the majority of installations, including 100 per cent. of those planned in London and the south of England, will have been completed by this date, in line with plans for 100 per cent. completion across the national health service in England by the end of 2007.
	As at the end of January 2007, 69 NHS trusts had implemented PACS over a period of 21 months as a result of the national programme, and they are currently estimated to be treating in the region of 160,000 patients each week using the technology. This compares to 43 implementations over 14 years in the period prior to the inception of the programme. Including trusts where PACS had been installed prior to the programme, more than 65 per cent. of acute trusts in England are now using PACS, making estimated savings of up to a third of a million pounds each per annum on the cost of x-ray films and processing.
	Local service providers are currently installing PACS at an average rate of four trusts a month. Information on progress in individual local service provider areas is in the table.
	
		
			  Region  Local service provider  Percentage of planned installations complete  Trusts remaining 
			 London BT 67 7 
			 South Fujitsu 89 4 
			 East and East Midlands Accenture 53 8 
			 North West, West Midlands CSC 21 33 
			 North East Accenture 43 8 
			 (1) Contract re-negotiated March 2006 with first live site in July 2006. 
		
	
	PACS systems form a component additional to those originally described in the 2002 Delivering 21(st) Century IT Support to the NHS procurement strategy for the national programme. The record of successful, and on-budget, deployment to date is a reflection of the robust nature of the programme's approach to procurement and management of its suppliers.

Pregnancy: Folic Acid

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research she has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on whether pregnant women who take folic acid supplements reduce the risk of having a baby with cleft lip or palate; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Department has commissioned no such research. However, the Department already recommends that women trying to get pregnant should take a daily 400 microgram (meg) folic acid supplement from the time they stop using contraception until the 12th week of pregnancy. Women should also eat foods containing folate, the natural form of folic acid, such as green vegetables and brown rice as well as fortified bread and breakfast cereals. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida in the newborn.

Primary Health Care

Alistair Burt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations she has made to strategic health authorities to ensure they consult upon and deliver a work force strategy for primary care; and if she will make a statement.

Andy Burnham: The national health service in England operating framework for 2007-08 sets out the framework for delivery of the health and service priorities. The Department will apply key assurance tests to strategic health authority plans to ensure they give assurances on delivering national commitments and reconcile the three elements of finance, work force and activity.

Sponsored Events

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will make a statement on the nature of the sponsored events provided to her Department in 2006 by  (a) Club 18-30 Big Reunion and  (b) Wrigleys Oral Healthcare referred to on page 156 of her Department's annual report.

Ivan Lewis: Partnerships with youth brands have provided a valuable channel of communication to young people from the outset of the cross-Government FRANK drugs information campaign which is jointly funded by the Department, the Home Office and the Department for Education and Skills.
	In the campaign year 2005-06, Club 18-30 and The Big Reunion, both brands of Uptrips, owned by Thomas Cook Travel, provided a wide range of communications and distribution services to the FRANK campaign free of charge to the Department.
	
		
			  Summer in-resort activities 
			  Event  
			 FRANK competition on Club 18-30 website with production of an e-flyer Audience of 100,000 approximately 
			 FRANK drugs advice section on Club 18-30 website Ongoing 
			 FRANK logo and contact details printed on ticket wallets Distributed to 40,000 people approximately 
			 Prize of a weekend workshop for two people at the Subbass DJ academy  
			 'In room' welcome packs which included FRANK business cards, Drugs abroad leaflet, FRANK tissue packs etc. Distributed to approximately 65,000 people including the cost of shipping, warehousing and distribution of FRANK collateral in resorts abroad 
			 FRANK artwork supplied for drugs advice section on resort notice boards 100 hotels 
			 Advice on drugs conveyed by club 18-30 representatives in resorts at welcome meetings 18,000 people summer season reached during summer season 
		
	
	
		
			  Autumn BIG Reunion weekend event in Scarborough 
			  Event  
			 FRANK literature and collateral inserted into check in bags for attendees and VIPs 9,000 attendees 
			 Airtime for FRANK advertisements on the Big Reunion TV channel throughout event 2 advertisements 
			 FRANK logo on screens in the main arenas throughout event 5 arenas 
			 FRANK banners placed in the different rooms around the event 8 banners 
			 Logo and link to www.talktofrank.com website from homepage of Big Reunion website Permanent 
			 Production of e-newsletters with editorial around FRANK/drugs to attendees pre and post weekend 2 e-newsletters 
		
	
	Chief dental officers and their advisers from the European Union, G8 countries and the Commonwealth attended a week-long programme of dental events in England to mark the UK's presidency of the European Union. The programme, organised by the Department of Health, ran from 5 to 9 September 2005, and spanned a number of events and locations. Some of the costs associated with this programme were met by sponsorship from Wrigley's Oral Healthcare.

Written Questions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when she will answer parliamentary questions  (a) 101823,  (b) 101822,  (c) 101823,  (d) 101820 and  (e) 101821, on mental health services, tabled on 16 November 2006 by the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham.

Andy Burnham: holding answer 19 February 2007
	A response was provided on 22 February 2007,  Official Report, columns 2003-04W.

TREASURY

Alcoholic Drinks: Death

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many deaths in  (a) each London borough and  (b) each Government office region alcohol was cited as the primary cause in each year since 2004.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 February 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking in how many deaths, in (a) each London borough and (b) each Government Office Region, alcohol was cited as the primary cause in each year since 2004. I am replying in her absence.
	The tables below provide the number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause in each (a) London borough and (b) Government Office Region, in 2004 and 2005 (the latest year available).
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1,)  London boroughs, 2004 and 2005( 2) 
			   Deaths (persons) 
			   2004  2005 
			  Inner London   
			 Camden 26 25 
			 City of London 0 1 
			 Hackney 26 20 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 34 28 
			 Haringey 25 33 
			 Islington 13 15 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 13 13 
			 Lambeth 32 33 
			 Lewisham 32 27 
			 Newham 36 22 
			 Southwark 27 28 
			 Tower Hamlets 20 20 
			 Wandsworth 21 19 
			 Westminster 26 34 
			
			  Outer London   
			 Barking and Dagenham 14 15 
			 Barnet 17 21 
			 Bexley 17 21 
			 Brent 33 34 
			 Bromley 28 40 
			 Croydon 22 35 
			 Ealing 39 35 
			 Enfield 27 18 
			 Greenwich 25 24 
			 Harrow 22 14 
			 Havering 17 14 
			 Hillingdon 42 23 
			 Hounslow 28 22 
			 Kingston upon Thames 13 16 
			 Merton 13 10 
			 Redbridge 21 24 
			 Richmond upon Thames 21 20 
			 Sutton 12 21 
			 Waltham Forest 16 19 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of deaths with an alcohol-related underlying cause of death( 1) , Government office regions, 2004 and 2005( 2) 
			   Deaths (persons) 
			   2004  2005 
			 North East 426 402 
			 North West 1,166 1,173 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 615 643 
			 East Midlands 482 506 
			 West Midlands 743 776 
			 East of England 485 492 
			 London 758 744 
			 South East 832 874 
			 South West 529 581 
			 Wales 416 407 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). The specific causes of death categorised as alcohol-related, and their corresponding ICD-10 codes, are shown in the box below. (2) Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			  Box 1: Alcohol-related causes of deathInternational Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) 
			  Cause of death  ICD-10 code(s) 
			 Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol F10 
			 Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol G31.2 
			 Alcoholic polyneuropathy G62.1 
			 Alcoholic cardiomyopathy I42.6 
			 Alcoholic gastritis K29.2 
			 Alcoholic liver disease K70 
			 Chronic hepatitis, not elsewhere classified K73 
			 Fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (excluding biliary cirrhosis) K74 (excl. K74.3-K74.5) 
			 Alcohol induced chronic pancreatitis K86.0 
			 Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X45 
			 Intentional self-poisoning by and exposure to alcohol X65 
			 Poisoning by and exposure to alcohol, undetermined intent Y15

Bank Services: Fees and Charges

David Evennett: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the level of bank charges.

Edward Balls: Treasury Ministers and officials have received representations from a number of parties on a wide range of banking issues, including the level of bank charges. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

British Food

John Spellar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 30 January 2007,  Official Report, column 226W, on British food, from which countries meat sourced from outside the UK and used in buildings occupied by his Department was sourced; and what percentage of the total each country of origin represented.

John Healey: Of the estimated 50 per cent. of meat that is sourced from outside the UK and served in the Treasury, the majority comes from New Zealand, with a small proportion being sourced from Holland.

Child Trust Fund

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage parents to increase payments to child trust fund accounts.

Edward Balls: The Child Trust Fund is a universal savings account which provides practical financial education and kick-starts a saving habit. Under the scheme, up to 1,200 each year can be contributed into each account. There is no tax to pay on any interest or gains made on the money in the account.
	HMRC has a range of promotional activities to raise awareness and promote parental engagement with the scheme, including encouraging contributions.
	Activities to date have included:
	a specific burst of advertising before Christmas, which encouraged contributions on radio, online and in selected parenting magazines;
	Child Trust Fund Week, which encouraged parents to top up their child's account and make the most of the Child Trust Fund;
	providing information on making contributions on the Child Trust Fund website and in the information booklet sent to all parents; and
	working with the voluntary and community sector to provide extra help to less financially capable parents with all Child Trust Fund messages.
	We will continue promoting Child Trust Fund contributions in the next financial year.

Child Trust Fund

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the contribution of the child trust fund initiative to meeting the Government's goal to reduce inequality between, and increase opportunity for, young people.

Edward Balls: The Government believe that assets and savings provide opportunity and independence throughout life. The child trust fund will start a saving habit at a young age and allow all young people to have access to a financial asset as they start their adult lives. It will be an important tool for bringing financial education to life in schools, enabling young people to be fully engaged in learning and equipping themselves to make better financial choices throughout their lives.
	Under the scheme, all children born on or after 1 September 2002 receive a voucher for 250 to invest in a child trust fund account, with children from lower- income families receiving 500. The scheme went live in April 2005. Latest figures show that around three quarters of parents are actively opening accounts for their children. A detailed statistical and distributional analysis will be published later this year.

Child Trust Fund

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children were eligible to receive a child trust fund voucher in each quarter since April 2005.

Edward Balls: The latest set of Child Trust Fund account opening statistics showing the number of vouchers issued were published by HM Revenue and Customs on 4 January 2007 at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds.htm

Child Trust Fund

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what percentage of children whose parents did not open child trust fund accounts in 2005 HM Revenue and Customs has opened accounts.

Edward Balls: HM Revenue and Customs will open a revenue-allocated account for all eligible children whose parents do not use their voucher to open a child trust fund account before the expiry date.
	All vouchers issued in 2005 expired by 31 December 2006 and all relevant providers have been notified of the need to open an account. Almost all parents have been written to, alert them to where their child's account is held. For those vouchers that expired in December 2006 parents will be notified by early March 2007.
	The most recent set of child trust fund statistics, published on 4 January 2007, show that HM Revenue and Customs have opened approximately 0.5 million accounts where vouchers have expired. These statistics can be viewed on the HM Revenue and Customs website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/child_trust_funds/child-trust-funds.htm

Child Trust Fund

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which financial services provider HM Revenue and Customs uses when it opens child trust fund accounts for children whose parents do not open accounts on their behalf; and what the interest rate was on such accounts for each quarter in  (a) 2005 and  (b) 2006.

Edward Balls: If a parent does not open a child trust fund account within 12 months of the issue of the child trust fund voucher, HM Revenue and Customs will allocate it on a strictly rotational basis to one of the child trust fund providers who have registered to open these accounts. An up-to-date list of these providers is available on the child trust fund website:
	http://www.childtrustfund.gov.uk/templates/Page1320.aspx
	All accounts opened by HMRC are stakeholder accounts which invest in equities and will therefore not have interest rates. HM Revenue and Customs do not keep records of the different interest or growth rates offered by providers on any types of account.

Child Trust Fund: Costs

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost to HM Revenue and Customs of notifying parents that it has opened a trust for their child under the child trust fund initiative was in each year since 2003.

Edward Balls: Since March 2006, HM Revenue and Customs have been opening accounts for parents whose voucher has expired. After opening an account, HM Revenue and Customs write to the child benefit claimant for the child informing them about the account and encouraging them to engage with it. The cost of this notification has so far been just over 150,000.

Child Trust Fund: Costs

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost to HM Revenue and Customs of managing child trust funds (CTFs) not invested by the recipients has been since the inception of CTFs.

Edward Balls: HM Revenue and Customs do not manage child trust fund accounts. If a parent does not open an account within 12 months of the issue of the CTF voucher, HMRC will allocate it on a strictly rotational basis to one of the CTF providers who have registered to receive HMRC allocated accounts. HM Revenue and Customs will then write to the child benefit claimant for the child informing them about the account and encouraging them to engage with it.

Child Trust Fund: Fees and Charges

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average fee charged by banks is to open and manage a child trust fund account.

Edward Balls: I refer the hon. Member to the answer on 16 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1010W, to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable).

Child Trust Fund: West Midlands

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average payment has been made by parents into existing child trust fund accounts in  (a) Staffordshire,  (b) the west midlands and  (c) Tamworth constituency.

Edward Balls: Information on parental contributions to Child Trust Fund accounts will be available later this year.

Death: Young People

Sandra Gidley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the 10 most common causes of death of  (a) boys and  (b) girls between the ages of 11 and 16 years were in the last period for which figures are available.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 February 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the 10 most common causes of death of  (a) boys and  (b) girls between the ages of 11 and 16 years was in the last period for which figures are available. I am replying in her absence. (122783)
	The most recent year for which figures are available is 2005. The table below shows the number of deaths for the 10 leading causes of death in boys and girls aged 11-16 years of age in England and Wales in 2005.
	There are many ways in which 'causes' of death are defined for different purposes. The cause of death groups used here are based on a list developed by the World Health Organization, modified for use in England and Wales. An article published in 2005(l) examined four variations of this cause list. It proposed mutually exclusive cause groups and recommended that for ranking causes of death the most useful groupings split cancers by site and accidents by mechanism (e.g. drowning/poisoning). That recommendation has been followed for the data reported here.
	(1) Griffiths C, Rooney C and Brock A (2005) Leading causes of death in England and Wales-how should we group causes? Health Statistics Quarterly 28, p 6-17.
	
		
			  Leading causes of death( 1)  of boys and girls aged 11-16, England and Wales, 2005( 2) 
			  Rank  Cause of death  Number of deaths 
			  Boys   
			 1 Land Transport Accidents (ICD-10 V01-V89) 75 
			 2 = Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (ICD-10 Q00-Q99) 21 
			 2 = Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent (ICD-10 X60-X84, Y10-Y34 exc. Y339) 21 
			 4 Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, haematopoletic and related tissue (ICD-10 C81-C96) 20 
			 5 Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes (ICD-10 G80-G83) 19 
			 6 Epilepsy and status epilepticus (ICD-10 G40, G41) 17 
			 7 Cerebrovascular diseases (ICD-10 160-169) 14 
			 8 Malignant neoplasm of brain (ICD-10 C71) 13 
			 9 = Accidental drowning and submersion (ICD-10 W65-W74) 12 
			 9= Homicide and probable homicide (ICD-10 X85-Y09, Y339) 12 
			  Total deaths from top 10 causes 224 
			  Total deaths among boys aged 11-16 383 
			
			  Girls   
			 1 Land Transport Accidents (ICD-10 V01-V89) 39 
			 2 Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities (ICD-10 Q00-Q99) 21 
			 3 Malignant neoplasms of lymphoid, haematopoletic and related tissue (ICD-10 C81-C96) 18 
			 4 Cerebral palsy and other paralytic syndromes (ICD-10 G80-G83) 16 
			 5 Epilepsy and status epilepticus (ICD-10 G40, G41) 13 
			 6= Malignant neoplas m of brain (ICD-10 C71) 12 
			 6 = Malignant neoplasms of bone and articular cartilage (ICD-10 C40-C41) 12 
			 8 Suicide and injury/poisoning of undetermined intent (ICD-10 X60-X84, Y10-Y34 exc. Y339) 10 
			 9 Chronic lower respiratory diseases (ICD-10 J40-J47) 8 
			 10 Homicide and probable homicide (ICD-10 X85-Y09, Y339) 7 
			  Total deaths from top 10 causes 156 
			  Total deaths among girls aged 11-16 262 
			 (1) Selected using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code groups based on a list published in 2005: Griffiths C, Rooney C and Brock A (2005) Leading causes of death in England and Waleshow should we group causes? Health Statistics Quarterly 28, p 6-17. (2) Figures are for deaths occurring in the calendar year.

Defence: Expenditure

Mark Harper: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he has issued to the Ministry of Defence on preparation and submissions for the comprehensive spending review; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Treasury has worked closely with all Government Departments in preparation for the comprehensive spending review (CSR), providing guidance throughout the process. Full details of the Ministry of Defence's settlement will be set out in the CSR White Paper.

Departmental Staff

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1986W, on departmental staff, how many permanently employed staff there were in  (a) his Department and  (b) its executive agencies at each civil service grade in each year; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The information requested can be found in the Civil Service Statistics which are published by the Cabinet Office and available from:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/management/statistics/.

Departments: Freedom of Information

Michael Wills: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of monitoring the time spent processing requests for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the purposes of the proposed fees regulations.

John Healey: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs, my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Redcar (Vera Baird) on 22 February,  Official Report, 1926W.

Departments: Freedom of Information

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many requests received by his Department under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 were responded to substantively within  (a) 20 days,  (b) 60 days,  (c) 90 days and  (d) 180 days; how many requests were outstanding (i) nine months and (ii) 11 months after first receipt; and what the reason is for the delay in each case.

John Healey: Statistics on the Treasury's performance under the Freedom of Information Act are available from the House Library and published by the Department for Constitutional Affairs. The most recent publication is available at:
	http://www.foi.gov.uk/reference/statsAndReports/stats06_jul-sep.htm
	The data published comply with the agreed reporting requirements for central Government Departments and show that HMT responded to 97 per cent. of FOI requests within the statutory deadline.

Fraud

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the level of carousel fraud in each year since 2003-04.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 6 February 2007,  Official Report, column 914W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath (Mr. Godsiff).

Grants: Renewable Energy

John Thurso: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the impact of capital grant incentives on the UK micro-renewables market.

John Healey: The Department of Trade and Industry has commissioned various studies which include analysis of the impact of capital grants on the micro-generation market, including for example, the Energy Saving Trust's Potential for micro-generation: study and analysis (published in 2005).
	Budget 2006 announced an additional 50 million to provide grants for micro-generation, funding the Low- Carbon Buildings Programme: phase 2.

HM Revenue and Customs: Manpower

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many whole-time equivalent VAT compliance and enforcement staff there were in each year between 2003 and 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: In HMRC the number of whole-time equivalent VAT compliance and enforcement staff was 8,755 in 2003-04, 9,035 in 2004-05 and 8,924 in 2005-06.

HM Revenue and Customs: Pay

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many whole-time equivalent staff HM Revenue and Customs employed on minimum wage compliance in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005 and  (c) 2006.

Dawn Primarolo: The numbers of whole-time equivalent staff employed on minimum wage compliance for the years requested are as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 2004-05 121.63 
			 2005-06 119.40 
			 2006-07 (1)120.59 
			 (1 )forecast

HM Revenue and Customs: Standards

Mark Francois: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time taken by HM Revenue and Customs to acknowledge receipt of a tax return was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: When a self-assessment tax return is filed online, an immediate acknowledgment of receipt is issued automatically. HMRC does not issue receipts for tax returns sent in by post or handed in at their inquiry centres.
	Processing a paper tax return results in a tax calculation and/or a statement of account being issued to the taxpayer. For paper tax returns filed by 30 September, HMRC guarantees to process the return in time to tell the taxpayer what to pay by 31 January. For paper tax returns filed by the 31 January deadline, HMRC has an operational target to process all paper tax returns by 31 March.

Housing: Stafford

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the housing market for first-time buyers in Stafford constituency.

John Healey: The Government continually monitor the housing market and its possible effects on the economy as part of the Budget and pre-Budget report forecasting process. They recognise concerns over housing affordability, particularly amongst first-time buyers, and are acting to alleviate these pressures on various fronts including by tackling supply constraints; doubling the stamp duty threshold; and helping people into home ownership through supporting shared equity schemes.

Insurance Policies

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1986W, on insurance policies, how many hon. Members have contacted him about non-advised insurance sales; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Balls: The Treasury has received representations regarding non-advised insurance sales from eight Members of Parliament, on behalf of constituents, since April 2006.
	As noted in my answer of 20 November 2006, the Financial Services Authority (FSA) is responsible for the regulation of the sales of insurance policies.
	The FSA is currently undertaking a review of its general insurance regime. This review is looking at how far the FSA's Insurance: Conduct of Business (ICOB) requirements deliver against the intended consumer outcomes for the regime, including that consumers buying insurance on a non-advised basis receive sufficient information to make an informed decision. The review is due to report in the first quarter of 2007.

Manufacturing Industries: Wales

Hywel Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many manufacturing jobs were lost in Wales in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in Wales in each year since 1997.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been ask to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 February 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about manufacturing employment in Wales. I am replying in her absence. (123635, 123636)
	Statistics on employment in manufacturing in Wales are only available in terms of employee jobs, excluding the self-employed, and on a non seasonally adjusted basis. While statistics of jobs lost are not available explicitly, statistics from surveys enable comparisons to be made of net changes, in numbers of jobs, from year to year.
	The following table shows the number of employee jobs in manufacturing in Wales, for September of each year from 1997 to 2006, the latest period available, and the net changes from year to year.
	
		
			  Employee jobs and changes in jobs in manufacturing in Wales 
			  Thousands, not seasonally adjusted 
			   Number of jobs  Net change on year 
			 September 1997 214  
			 September 1998 218 4 
			 September 1999 206 -12 
			 September 2000 203 -2 
			 September 2001 193 -10 
			 September 2002 186 -7 
			 September 2003 182 -4 
			 September 2004 182 0 
			 September 2005 177 -5 
			 September 2006 170 -7 
		
	
	This series is published on a regular basis by the ONS in table 5 of the Labour Market Statistics First Release for Wales. See
	http://www.statistics. gov.uk/pdfdir/lmswales0207.pdf
	These results are mainly based on sample surveys and are subject to a margin of uncertainty.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to answer the letter from the hon. Member for Hemel Hempstead of 10 July 2006 on VAT on charities.

Dawn Primarolo: holding answer 19 February 2007
	I have replied to the hon. Member.

National Lottery: Gambling

Paul Holmes: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate his Department has made of the impact on tax revenue receipts from other gambling activities of the existence of the National Lottery since its creation; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: Revenues from gambling taxes are published in the HM Revenue and Customs Betting, Gaming and Lottery Duties Bulletin, available at:
	http://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullbett

Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of the Treasury working papers relating to the fiscal impact of people choosing to take alternatively secured pensions rather than traditional annuities, which were used during the production of the Pensions White Paper.

Edward Balls: The answer to the hon. Member's recent Parliamentary Question on estimating the fiscal impact of people taking ASP was answered on 20 February as follows:
	Alternatively secured pensions were introduced to meet the specific needs of certain religious groups that have a principled religious objection to the pooling of mortality risk through annuities. As explained in the partial regulatory impact assessment published at pre-Budget report (Tax Relief for Pensions2006 pre-Budget report Reforms) the fiscal impact of introducing ASPs are part of the overall costs of pension simplification. Estimates of the overall Exchequer costs of pension simplification remain at 25 million for 2006-07, rising to 250 million in 2010-11.
	Widespread use of ASP would have a potential additional cost to the Exchequer due to deferral of tax charges where pensions are not used to provide an income in retirement.
	It would be inappropriate to place internal Treasury working papers in the Library of the House of Commons. Doing so would be prejudicial to the frank and candid discussions that are an essential part of policy development.

Planning Gain Supplement: Sports

Andy Reed: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the potential impact on sport and leisure of the introduction of a planning-gain supplement.

John Healey: The 2006 pre-Budget report announced that the Government will move forward with the implementation of the Planning-gain Supplement (PGS) if, after further consultation, it continues to be deemed workable and effective. To maintain critical links to local delivery, the Government will ensure that in England at least 70 per cent. of PGS revenues are recycled to the local authority area in which they are raised, to fund additional infrastructure. Further announcements on PGS will be made in spring 2007.

Public Finance: Freedom of Information

Michael Wills: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net effect on public expenditure arising from use of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to scrutinise spending by public authorities.

Stephen Timms: None. In 2006, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs commissioned an independent review of the impact of the Freedom of Information Act across central Government and the wider public sector. The costings exercise and the independent review are available on the DCA website at www.dca.gov.uk

Revenue and Customs: Complaints

Nick Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make an assessment of HM Revenue and Customs' handling of the complaint of Mr. J. A. Smith of Newcastle-upon-Tyne; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the compensation offered to Mr. Smith.

Dawn Primarolo: I am writing to my right hon. Friend about his constituent's tax affairs.

Revenue and Customs: Mansfield

Alan Meale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of operating the Mansfield Taxation Office located at Chaucer House, Mansfield in each of the last three years.

Dawn Primarolo: The fixed accommodation running costs for Chaucer house, Mansfield, are:
	
		
			  April to March each year  Cost (net of VAT) () 
			 2004-05 99,659.93 
			 2005-06 109,166.96 
			 2006-07 (not full year) 110,586.35 
		
	
	These costs are made up of the PFI unitary charge for the provision (by Mapeley) of the serviced accommodation at this address, the business rates and the utilities for each year.
	Individual business units are allocated budgets to meet their total costs and overheads for all their staff. The Mansfield HMRC office currently houses a total of 35 staff from four different business units. It would be possible only at disproportionate cost to break down the costs of each business unit to individual office level.

Revenue and Customs: Reorganisation

Judy Mallaber: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria will be used in decision-making on the restructuring of HM Revenue and Customs offices.

Dawn Primarolo: HMRC's regional review programme seeks to achieve the best possible match between customer and staff need, delivery of business and buildings, taking account of its efficiency and customer service commitments.

Revenue and Customs: Reorganisation

Alan Meale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost of his Department's review of HM Revenue and Customs offices in Nottingham, Derby and Leicester.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is not available.

Revenue and Customs: Reorganisation

Alan Meale: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional  (a) travel,  (b) relocation and  (c) other costs which will be incurred as a result of the closures of local tax offices in (i) Mansfield, (ii) Burton Alfreton and (iii) Derby.

Dawn Primarolo: Final decisions on the future of these HMRC offices, and the other offices in the Nottingham/Derby and Leicester urban centre reviews, will not be made until the findings of the consultation exercise and of the detailed feasibility work now being undertaken have been fully taken into account. That feasibility work includes preliminary estimates of the costs of making the necessary adaptations to buildings proposed for retention.
	If a decision in principle is then taken to close any of these offices, a detailed impact assessment will be carried out for each, which will include estimates of excess fares and relocation costs for the individual members of staff affected. No such decisions have yet been reached.

Sandstorm Report

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the Sandstorm Report which was prepared before the closure of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

Edward Balls: The Treasury is currently considering release of the report in response to a request under the Freedom of Information Act. A decision will be reached shortly.

Sandstorm Report

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department expects to make a definitive reply to the request made by Professor Prem Sikka of the University of Essex on 13 March 2006 under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for publication of the Sandstorm Report relating to the closure of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International; and what the reason is for the delay in responding.

Edward Balls: Professor Sikka's request has entailed the careful examination of several complex issues. I understand that officials expect to be in a position to respond very shortly.

Subsidiarity

Michael Gove: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what  (a) meetings he has held with (i) Government colleagues and (ii) his European counterparts and officials and  (b) publications he has written on the return of regional responsibilities from the EU to the UK.

Edward Balls: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide range of European and Government colleagues and with other member states as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
	'A Modern Regional Policy for the UK' set out the UK's principles for the future of European regional policy(1). The Government have also published their National Strategic Reference Framework which sets out the UK's approach to the management of European Structural and Cohesion Funds to support regional development for 2007-13(2).
	1 Department of Trade and Industry, HM Treasury, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, 'A Modern Regional Policy for the UK, 2003'
	2 National Strategic Reference Framework, October 2006.

Teenage Pregnancy: Greater London

Lynne Featherstone: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies were reported in each London borough in each of the last five years.

John Healey: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician who has been asked to reply.
	 Letter from Colin Mowl, dated 27 February 2007:
	The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage pregnancies were reported in each London borough in each of the last five years. I am replying in her absence.
	Teenage pregnancy figures are estimates of the number of conceptions that resulted in a live birth, stillbirth or termination to girls aged under 18.
	The numbers of teenage conceptions in each London borough for the years 2001-05 (the most recent year for which figures are available) are shown in the attached table. Figures for 2005 are provisional.
	
		
			  Number of teenage conceptions by area of usual residence, London boroughs, 2001-05( 1) 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005p 
			  London  6,210  6,512  6,467  6,235  5,809 
			 Camden LB 125 135 124 127 124 
			 Hackney LB and City of London 308 303 279 285 226 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham LB 135 137 119 106 91 
			 Haringey LB 281 313 291 283 246 
			 Islington LB 175 173 165 156 156 
			 Kensington and Chelsea LB 80 81 56 54 68 
			 Lambeth LB 376 406 415 357 319 
			 Lewisham LB 273 328 333 317 316 
			 Newham LB 334 333 295 256 241 
			 Southwark LB 335 335 356 343 275 
			 Tower Hamlets LB 219 187 174 173 169 
			 Wandsworth LB 173 184 169 174 155 
			 Westminster City of LB 87 95 100 74 62 
			 Barking and Dagenham LB 215 236 220 211 191 
			 Barnet LB 143 192 177 203 167 
			 Bexley LB 181 172 180 172 164 
			 Brent LB 236 253 276 266 223 
			 Bromley LB 162 179 205 166 203 
			 Croydon LB 336 367 340 364 365 
			 Baling LB 198 185 203 193 186 
			 Enfield LB 249 292 304 272 246 
			 Greenwich LB 272 248 280 261 259 
			 Harrow LB 99 115 111 141 127 
			 Havering LB 134 150 151 152 150 
			 Hillingdon LB 189 210 225 223 218 
			 Hounslow LB 165 158 181 203 166 
			 Kingston upon Thames LB 67 68 81 67 70 
			 Merton LB 126 118 119 121 104 
			 Redbridge LB 160 155 155 155 164 
			 Richmond upon Thames LB 49 63 58 61 57 
			 Sutton LB 112 110 102 108 109 
			 Waltham Forest LB 216 231 223 191 192 
			 (1) Figures for 2005 are provisional  Note: To preserve confidentiality, counts for the City of London have been combined with those for Hackney LB.

Welfare Tax Credits

Ian Gibson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what procedures people are able to apply to be removed from the tax credit register.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Laws) on 18 April 2006,  Official Report, columns 565-66W.